Helipad planned near Worli Sea Link to be used for medical emergency and tourism

 In a bold attempt to reimagine urban transportation and strengthen disaster response infrastructure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to develop a helipad on the existing Worli jetty, which was initially created to support the construction of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP).

Located 120 metres into the Arabian Sea and opposite the Worli Dairy, the jetty was built as a temporary yet sturdy marine platform. Originally serving as a staging point for coastal construction materials and later for coastal police surveillance, the jetty's reinforced cement concrete (RCC) design has now caught the eye of urban planners aiming to bring aerial connectivity to the city.

This initiative follows a directive from Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who asked civic authorities to explore the possibility of a helipad at the site. A structural study conducted by the Maharashtra Maritime Board gave a green signal for its potential transformation. Subsequently, BMC appointed Pawan Hans Ltd, a public sector aviation company under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, to carry out a feasibility study.

According to BMC officials, the helipad will serve multiple objectives: aiding medical evacuations, enabling smoother VIP travel, offering additional surveillance for marine security, and promoting tourism. “Given Mumbai’s position as India’s financial hub, the addition of a helipad strengthens our multimodal transport ecosystem,” an official said.

The jetty at Worli is one of two originally built for the MCRP. While the other—located at Amarsons Garden and constructed with steel—was dismantled after use, the Worli structure remained intact due to its durable RCC design. With Pawan Hans Ltd confirming its viability for helicopter operations, the BMC is now focused on securing approvals from key authorities, including the Ministry of Defence and the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) authority.

A senior BMC officer mentioned that the consultancy was awarded to Pawan Hans Ltd for Rs 5 lakh. With the feasibility report now in hand, the next phase involves aligning with statutory bodies to move the proposal forward.