Marina plan at Gateway was mooted in 2011

Tussle over marina

- Linah Baliga

MUMBAI: The proposed marina in Colaba, which has kicked up a storm of protest from Colaba residents, was first proposed 14 years ago, when Prithviraj Chavan was chief minister in 2011. The idea has its roots in a discussion held on February 3, 2011, between Ajit Kumar Jain, principal secretary to the chief minister, and RH Khwaja, tourism secretary with the Government of India.

During the meeting, Khwaja had expressed strong dissatisfaction with the conditions at the embarkation point for ferries travelling to Elephanta and Mandwa in Raigad district. Ferries and launches leave for Mandwa, the Elephanta Caves and for short harbour cruises from the Gateway of India.

Khwaja, in his meeting, criticised the "deplorable" state of the Elephanta Caves and stressed the need for improvements in passenger safety in the ferries plying from Gateway of India.