Changing City: Helipad coming up in Worli coastal road for medical emergency, tourism, VIP movement

Indian Express

09-05-2025

Eyeing a fillip to multimodal transportation in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to construct a helipad at a pre-existing Worli jetty abutting the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP).
Situated 120 metres into the sea, a temporary marine jetty at Worli – for coastal road works – is now slated to be developed into a helipad for emergency use, as well as boosting tourism.
Earlier this year, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde instructed civic officials to consider the possibility of developing the helipad. After studies by the Maharashtra Maritime Board found the jetty structurally sound and gave its nod for using the jetty for multimodal transportation, the BMC roped in Pawan Hans Ltd as a consultant to conduct feasibility studies for developing the jetty into a helipad.
The project is aimed at catering to medical emergencies, boosting tourism, while also facilitating the VIP movement. Being the financial capital of the country, civic officials said that the helipad would also improve our transportation in the city by providing an alternative means. It forms a part of the government's plan to boost multimodal transportation in the region.
The helipad is proposed to be constructed at the existing Worli jetty, exactly opposite the Worli Dairy. The platform of the existing jetty spans about 750 sq metres, and is projected 120 metres into the sea.
According to officials, the helipad is slated to come up abutting the promenade along the coastal swathes.
This is among the two jetties that the civic body had constructed as a part of the MCRP. While one jetty at Amarsons Garden, which was built on stilts and constructed with steel, was dismantled, the jetty near Worli Dairy, being constructed in RCC, was used for surveillance by the coastal police.
Recently, Pavan Hans Ltd, which is a public enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has submitted reports approving the development of the jetty into a helipad. Now, the civic body is in the process of procuring approvals from other agencies, ranging from the defence ministry to the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) authority.
'The jetty was initially constructed for material carriage and interchange work on the coastal road project. Since this was a concrete and permanent structure, the plan to develop a helipad was floated. Since the work was immediate, we appointed Pawan Hans Ltd as consultants at a cost of Rs 5 lakh for feasibility studies. Now that we have received their report approving the plan, we will be working on procuring other approvals,' said a civic body officer.
Besides aiding during medical emergencies and VIP movement, the officer said the area can also serve the purpose of marine surveillance for the coastal police.