Union minister for transport & shipping Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis laid the foundation stone for Mumbai's international cruise terminal at Ballard Pier on Thursday, January 11.
MbPT (Mumbai Port Trust) will handle the terminal's modernization and expansion. The revamp is at an estimated cost of Rs197 crore, aimed to transform Mumbai into international cruise destination. The new terminal will feature all facilities that travelers get at the airports, according to MbPT officials.
Nearly 4 million passengers are expected to visit India during the coming years, and 3 million passengers are due to take cruises from Mumbai Port.
MbPT chairman, Sanjay Bhatia, said that the project will be undertaken in 2 phases, wherein by the end of 2018, they will be able to cater to 2 lakh passengers. Post the completion by the end of next year, the new terminal will cater to over 7 lakh passengers, via facilities on a par with international standards.
The new facilities will include hotels, shopping areas, and separate arrival and departure lounges.
In 2016-2017, the port of Mumbai got around 55 cruise ships carrying around 60,000 passengers.