Mumbai Port Seeks Nod to Reclaim Sea at Jawahar Dweep

16 Sep 2025 CW Team

The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has proposed reclaiming 4.14 hectares of sea at Jawahar Dweep, also known as Butcher Island, to build additional crude oil storage facilities. The proposal, which will be placed before the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority for clearance, aims to improve turnaround times for ships handling petroleum and chemical cargo.

Officials argue that the move is essential, as liquid petroleum and chemicals account for nearly 70 per cent of the port’s cargo. Currently, oil unloaded at Mumbai Port is piped to refineries in Mahul, but limited storage capacity has been slowing operations. The first phase of reclamation will require about three lakh cubic metres of soil, which officials said would be sourced from excavated material from the Mumbai coastal road tunnel project.

The cost of reclamation is estimated at Rs 25 crore, with the facility expected to be ready in two years. Officials said the project would enhance efficiency and strengthen Mumbai Port’s standing as India’s largest bulk cargo port, which already handles 8.61 per cent of the nation’s seaborne trade.

However, environmental groups have opposed the move. Activist D Stalin of NGO Vanshakti said, “Instead of reclaiming the sea, MbPA should use its vast tracts of unused land. These actions will increase the pressure on Mumbai’s shoreline and heighten the risk of flooding.”

Despite these concerns, MbPA maintains that the expansion is crucial to meet the growing demands of oil PSUs like BPCL and HPCL, which rely heavily on Jawahar Dweep for crude imports.

Building Material

11 Dec 2025

Suraj Estate Wins Euromoney Award for India’s Best Residential Developer

"Suraj Estate Developers Limited has received the Euromoney Real Estate Award 2025 for ‘India’s Best Residential Developer’, positioning the company among globally benchmarked leaders in the sector. The recognition reflects its four-decade legacy in delivering high-quality residential and redevelopment-led projects across South Central Mumbai. The Euromoney Real Estate Awards, presented by the London-based Euromoney magazine, are widely regarded as one of the most credible global assessments of performance in real estate, banking and finance. Winners are selected through surveys of inte..

Lloyds Metals, Tata Steel Sign MoU to Explore Strategic Collaboration

"Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Steel Limited to evaluate potential areas of strategic cooperation across mining, logistics, pelletisation and steelmaking. The MoU was signed by B Prabhakaran, Managing Director of Lloyds Metals, and Mr T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel. The partnership framework aims to leverage the natural operational synergies between both companies and assess opportunities in greenfield steel projects, iron ore mining, slurry pipeline infrastructure, pellet manufacturing in iron ore–ric..

IndiaAI, Gujarat Govt Host Regional Conclave Ahead of 2026 AI Summit

The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with the Government of Gujarat and IIT Gandhinagar, convened a Regional Pre-Summit Event at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The initiative is part of the build-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 15–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave brought together senior policymakers, technology leaders, researchers and industry practitioners to examine how AI can accelerate economic, digital and social transformation across sectors. The programme focused on the overarching th..