Mumbai Eye: Fifteen years on, city’s ‘Ferris Wheel’ project stuck on paper

A skyline view across the River Thames to the Millennium Wheel and the Houses of Parliament taken before the Capital 95.8 ‘Lights Out London’ campaign on June 21, 2007 in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Story so far: In its biggest-ever budget, Mumbai’s civic body – the Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation (BMC), unveiled its plan to construct a ‘Mumbai Eye’ similar to the London Eye. An ode to the 443-feet Ferris Wheel called the ‘Millennium Wheel’ located on the River Thames in London, the Mumbai Eye has been in the works since 2008 but is yet become reality.

In the budget document, the BMC states that it intends to erect ‘Mumbai Eye’ in line with ‘London Eye’ at a suitable location under public private partnership (PPP) Model. The proposed Ferris wheel will feature air-conditioned passenger units capable of holding 25 people at a time. As per previous estimates, the structure is likely to attract 70 lakh visitors per year. In comparison, the London Eye, which offers a 30-minute Ferris wheel ride and a panoramic view of the city, attracts 35 lakh visitors per year. 

Previously, two locations progressed till the feasibility study were Bandra Bandstand and Bandra Reclamation – both of which are sea-facing and offers a bird’s eye view of the city’s coastline.

“We don’t oppose the project. But it should not be in our Bandra Reclamation area,” says Maharashtra Information Technology minister Ashish Shelar to The Hindu. The Bandra West MLA had protested against the project in 2023 when it had zeroed in on Bandra Reclamation as a suitable site. The project was scrapped as recently as September last, due to the unavailability of a suitable location.

The project, which was first proposed by the BMC in 2008, travelled a full circle passing to state authorities – MSRDC and MMRDA – before coming back to the BMC.

Long journey of Mumbai Eye

In 2008, undivided Shiv Sena’s corporator Ravindra Waikar, who headed the BMC’s Standing Committee, had proposed the idea of the Mumbai Eye. Envisioned as a 650-feet tall Ferris Wheel, the BMC initially zeroed in on the 14,000 square-metre land near Bandra Bandstand as a suitable site. Aimed at attracting tourists and additional revenue for the BMC, the project got delayed as it needed clearance for the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) from the Centre. 

Three years later, it was the Congress-NCP state government which revived the project. In a weekly cabinet meeting, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar proposed building the ‘Mumbai Eye’ close to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, off the toll plaza. Tasking the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) with the task, Mr. Pawar assured that the necessary CRZ clearances will be sorted before going ahead with the project. However, the project never took off the ground. 

Almost a decade later, in 2020, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government revived the project with an aim to promote tourism in Mumbai. Tapping the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the government kicked off the feasibility studies, identification of site and preparation of detailed project report, tenders and consultancy bids in October that year. However, as COVID-19 spread worsened in the state, the project once again lay dormant. 

Two years later, power changed hands from the MVA to the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena ‘Mahayuti’ coalition. BMC corporators’ term also expired, leading to an administrator taking control of the BMC. In 2023, the project was revived with Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique raising the same in the Budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly that year. 

“Mumbai is a place which attracts a lot of tourists but lacks enough tourist spots. I believe that Mumbai eye should be constructed in my constituency’s Bandra-Kurla complex area,” said Mr. Siddiqui in March 2023. 

Soon enough, MMRDA zeroed in on the Bandra Reclamation area as a suitable spot for the Mumbai Eye. On May 10, the authority began carrying out technical feasibility study at the Bandra Reclamation for the project. However, they hit a hurdle soon as Bandra residents, along with Mr. Shelar had opposed the project. Citing traffic congestion fears, the residents sought to shift the project to alternate non-residential areas. Mumbai Port Trust, Bandra-Kurla Complex, space behind National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) and Ballard Estate were suggested as alternate locations for the Mumbai Eye. Finally, on September 28, 2024, the MMRDA scrapped the project in entirety.

Despite the tourism and revenue opportunities, Mumbai Eye’s Road to reality seems nowhere near the end. Though the BMC has listed it in the budget document, it is unclear which department will head this project. Details of its allocation, type of PPP model to be used, the tender process, potential locations are unclear.