Mumbai’s engagement with the sea has long leaned on its western waterfront, while the eastern side remains a haphazard warren of godowns, old maritime establishments, and barricaded docks. But starting last weekend, the new international cruise terminal at Ballard Estate has opened two floors to the public to shop, snack, play pickleball – or just sit around staring at ships gliding in the distance. The ‘Pier Pop’ activities have been set up amidst immigration booths and customs counters that are closed during the monsoon months when international cruise liners cannot dock.“We want to re-establish people’s relationship with the sea,” says Aditi Dhruv Kotak, director of JM Baxi group, a shipping and logistics company which has a 30-year lease to manage the terminal. “This is a way of making a cruising lifestyle available to a non-cruising public. You’d be surprised how few people have been on boats in Mumbai, despite this being a port city.”The Pier Pop festival was launched last weekend at the Ballard Pier cruise terminal which opened last year in what used to be Indira Dock (earlier Alexandra Dock), at the far end of the historic Ballard Estate. It is part of a public-private partnership between The Mumbai Port Trust, which owns a staggering 1,800 acres of land along 28 km from Colaba to Wadala, and the JM Baxi group, similar to the partnership between the Adani group and the Airport Authority. For years, the Port Trust has been attempting to revive this vast stretch, much of which has been encroached upon or is being battled by long-term tenants.“Just having this magnificent ocean-front secret finally shared with all is reason to celebrate,” says Srila Chatterjee, proprietor of Baro Market, which has brought crafts and design from small brands and artisans across India to Pier Pop. “We believe strongly in making Mumbai come alive in all its public spaces. There is so little to do and such few places open to people – especially in the monsoon.”The festival (June 21 to July 23) features a range of activities, including pickle ball, go-karting and play areas for children. While some activities are free, some are chargeable, and people must register either online or at the venue. The venue will thereafter continue to host events and also be available for rent. By year end, the higher floors, which are not part of the cruise terminal, will feature high-end sailing clubs, night clubs with live music, retail and dining. A public seafront park just outside the terminal will be open for anyone to come and sit or stroll.While some residents are celebrating the opening of a new space for Mumbaikars to come and play, many are concerned about the absence of an integrated plan for this long stretch of waterfront, which remains the largest chunk of land that can potentially revive a city craving open spaces and public utilities – especially for those who need respite from cramped homes and treacherous commutes. Two masterplans have been drawn up but never been implemented and any questions to the authorities are met with opacity. When asked to comment on the future of the Ballard Pier, a Port Trust official said, “Speak to the concessionaire,” referring to the private operator.“The eastern waterfront is one of Mumbai’s most tragic stories,” says architect Pankaj Joshi, who has been advocating for the stretch to be opened up for public use over three decades. “Instead of following a masterplan, there is splintered decision-making, and bits of land are getting quietly siphoned off through various layered companies. How this venue fits into the larger picture is not very clear,” adds Joshi, now principal director, Urban Centre Mumbai, which works on city planning and design in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.Although some pockets along the eastern front have popped open for the public in the last few years, such as the RoRo jetty at Ferry Wharf, or the Atal Setu bridge, the areas around it remain desolate, industrial wastelands. Yet, the city by the sea is constantly morphing. Thanks to the Eastern Freeway, Ballard Estate is suddenly closer to Navi Mumbai than to even parts of central Mumbai. “We are excited to be here,” says a member of the Gharat family from Vashi, while sampling Italian fare at the Pier Pop. “This is like Dubai renaissance meets the Mumbai coastline.”
