Glass hotel: Maharashtra Maritime Board searches for operator

In order to operate India's first mid-water glass hotel, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) is in search of an operator who will operate the fully glass made hotel near Bandra-Worli Sea-Link.

The glass hotel will be placed on a barge that will be anchored mid-water near Bandra jetty where currently two floating hotels are already anchored. The MMB has currently floated bids for appointing an operator for the same.

The glass house of the hotel will be completely transparent and will be assembled mid-sea.

According to MMB official, "We have got proposal from one floatel operator who is currently operating one out the two floatels near BWSL but we have invited bids to get a response from more parties. In this, whoever offers more than the offer received by MMB gets the contract to operate the glass hotel for a specific duration. The contract will be on a cost-sharing basis wherein the operator will have to share a certain revenue with MMB."

In the recent past, the MMB has monetised on the coastline by allowing operations of floating restaurants nearby BWSL for two years. It is also currently in search of an operator who is willing to operate barge-like vessels around BWSL having illuminated advertisement hoardings on it. Along with this, the Mumbai Port Trust has also recently and operator for running two floating restaurants at Gateway of India.

Further, the MMB has proposed several water sports activities in order to boost coastal tourism by having jet ski, speed boats at several beaches in Maharashtra including beaches like Juhu, Versova, Vasai and Palghar. These activities were finalised by MMB in its Maharashtra Water Sports Policy in the year 2015.