Maharashtra Plans Three Floating Hotels in Navi Mumbai

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has invited private operators to develop and operate three floating hospitality facilities, known as floatels, near the newly developed tourism jetty in Sector 15, Belapur, Navi Mumbai.

The proposed facilities aim to expand maritime tourism and waterfront leisure opportunities in the region.

The planned floatels could offer dining, accommodation, recreation, entertainment and other tourism-related services.

Their locations would provide views of Atal Setu, the sea bridge connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, and the waters of Panvel Creek.

Three Floatels Planned Near Belapur Jetty

According to the tender, the Maharashtra Maritime Board has identified three locations near the Belapur tourism jetty for the proposed floating establishments.

The facilities will operate from mooring or anchorage locations designated and approved by the board.

Visitors will travel between the shore and the floatels using auxiliary boats, also known as tender boats.

The Belapur tourism jetty will serve as the boarding and disembarking point for passengers and will also support the transportation of supplies and equipment to the floating facilities.

Private Operators to Develop and Manage Facilities

The selected operators will be responsible for financing, designing, developing, deploying and commissioning the floatels.

They must also obtain the necessary approvals and comply with applicable maritime, environmental and safety requirements.

Operators will manage passenger transfers and maintain the floating facilities and associated assets.

The tender also requires them to develop temporary facilities on land, including ticket counters, at their own cost, with facilitation from the Maharashtra Maritime Board.

The proposed model seeks to attract private investment in waterfront hospitality and recreational infrastructure while keeping operations subject to regulatory approvals and maritime safety requirements.

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Maharashtra Looks to Expand Maritime Tourism

The proposed floatels form part of the board's efforts to develop tourism-related maritime infrastructure and create additional waterfront leisure options.

The facilities could combine hospitality, dining and entertainment in a setting different from conventional land-based hotels and restaurants.

A floatel is a floating hotel or hospitality facility built on a vessel or floating platform.

Depending on its design, it can provide accommodation, dining and entertainment while remaining anchored at an approved location or operating as a mobile facility.

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Previous Floating Hospitality Projects Faced Challenges

Mumbai's experience with floating restaurants and hospitality facilities has been mixed.

AB Celestial, located near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, closed in April 2021 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and coastal road construction. Ark Deck Bar capsized in May 2018.

Two floating restaurants, Queensline Sea-Yah and Neverland, were subsequently launched near the Gateway of India by Mumbai Port Trust.

However, floating restaurants that shut during the Covid-19 lockdowns have not reopened since the pandemic, according to the report.

The proposed Belapur floatels will depend on private operator participation, required approvals and compliance with maritime regulations as Maharashtra seeks to expand its waterfront tourism offering.

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