'Catastrophic consequences for city': Why Mumbai residents are up against Rs 229 crore jetty near Gateway of India

MUMBAI: Three days after ports minister Nitesh Rane performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Rs 229-crore passenger jetty and terminal building at Radio Club near the Gateway of India, Colaba residents urged legislative assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is also the local MLA, to "stay" the project.

The residents termed the ceremony "hasty" - it was done four days after finance minister Ajit Pawar allotted Rs 229.3 crore for the project in the 2025-26 state budget - and accused govt of ignoring their objections to the project raised at multiple forums. They claimed that the jetty would have "catastrophic consequences for the city" and was pushed through without taking them into confidence.

Narwekar said he had initially raised objections to the heritage and traffic congestion aspects of the project. "But govt has assured me that the heritage precinct will not be affected and the traffic issue will be addressed. I have requested the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) to share the project details with residents. The MMB has assured that the project will not affect the day-to-day life of Colaba residents," he said. "This week, I will organise a meeting of residents with MMB officials, Rane, and if possible, the CM, where all their concerns will be addressed."

In its letter to Narwekar, the Clean Heritage Colaba Residents Association claimed: "The jetty will have catastrophic consequences for the city...as it is against the interest of not only the residents of Colaba, but also the citizens of Mumbai. The same is being done without taking local residents into confidence, nor have the requisite permissions been given...none of these permissions are in the public domain. Just as you granted a stay for the robotic parking in Mumbadevi, we urge you to immediately grant a stay to the jetty work being carried out until proper feasibility is conducted, also factoring in the high tides, rising sea levels, climate change impact, environmental imbalances, and heritage precinct which will be impacted, leading to flooding and risk of lives and property in the area."

"...none of the residents want this jetty as we are already faced with long-pending menaces, including double parking, illegal parking mafias, encroachments, and the jetty will add to the miseries of local residents...," it added.

While breaking ground on March 13, Rane had said MMB had cleared residents' doubts. "The facilities on the existing jetty at the Gateway are inadequate for passengers....The new jetty will help reduce the pressure on the existing one."


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