Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Development Minister Nitesh Rane has denied reports that 20 floating hoardings would be installed off the Mumbai coast, saying only four structures were planned in total, including two that already exist near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
In a post on X on Friday, Rane said the reports were “completely false and misleading” and sought to clarify what he described as widespread misunderstanding of a tender floated by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), which operates under his department.
According to the minister, the four hoardings comprise two existing structures near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and two newly proposed installations. His statement did not provide further details about the location, design, size, operating terms or approval status of the two proposed hoardings.
“As the Minister for Ports and Chairman of MMB, I would like to put these facts on record. I am also a proud Mumbaikar, and would never support any initiative that compromises Mumbai’s marine environment or obstructs its beautiful waterfront views,” Rane said.
The clarification followed a letter sent by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Thackeray had sought intervention against what he called “floating hoardings” in Mumbai’s seas, describing the decision to permit them as highly irresponsible and warning that it would damage the city’s aesthetics.
The dispute has placed a Maharashtra Maritime Board tender at the centre of a public debate over how commercial installations in Mumbai’s coastal waters are assessed and communicated. The minister’s statement establishes that the reported figure of 20 planned hoardings is disputed, but the available information does not specify the tender’s financial terms, the proposed locations or the environmental and navigational clearances associated with the two new structures.
Rane said the government was willing to engage with anyone seeking clarification and share all relevant information transparently. He also said the administration was committed to environmental responsibility alongside development and urged that the issue not be unnecessarily politicised.
The Maharashtra Maritime Board, the minister’s department and the state government have not, in the supplied statement, announced a separate public disclosure of the tender documents or a timeline for the proposed installations. Further details would be needed to establish the next stage of the process and the applicable approvals.
