Docks ke peeche kya hai?

A view of the Arabian sea from Mumbai Port

Stretching from Colaba to Mahim and Sion, Maharashtra's smallest district, Mumbai City, sees over a crore people regularly travel in and out of it. Naturally, it may give you the impression that all its nooks and corners must be thoroughly explored.

After all, it's one of the most densely populated cities in India, with a population of over 2.1 crore, including the suburbs. But there is a part of Mumbai, right in the heart of the island city, that has not only shaped the city's identity but to a great extent, even India's, yet remains hidden from the common people's eyes. Established in 1873, this is the Mumbai Port - stretching across Mumbai's Eastern Waterfront.

With access only to authorised personnel, such as port employees, shipping companies, and operations staff, most people are familiar with the port only through films like Mukul Anand's Agneepath (1990) and Hum (1991), or newer movies such as Milan Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), among others.

These films have depicted Mumbai Port as a hub of economic activity, but also as a place where danger lurks at every step - with a thriving underbelly around the dockyard and cartels using the port as their base. RD Tripathi, executive director and CEO of the Mumbai Port Sustainability Foundation (MPSF), echoes this thought and emphasises that the ports are nothing like how they are shown in films.

While some of it may have been true in the past, today, Mumbai Port is one of the most highly secured places in the city. So much so that we are writing about it as it is being opened to the general public for a week for the first time.

The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), in collaboration with The Heritage Project (THP) and the MPSF, is offering a guided tour of the port. Facilitated by experts from THP and port functionaries, the guided tour will delve into the past, present, and future of the port, along with anecdotes from Mumbai's maritime transformation over the centuries. Radha Goenka, founder of THP & director of RPG Foundation, says, "People will get to experience several fascinating stops and get a firsthand exposure to port operations and its functionality."

The initiative is purely a community outreach program. Tripathi explains, "We want to bring the outside community, those who have not been to the port but are part of Mumbai and benefit from it, to see what is happening here. Honestly, this port is one of the most important ones in the world, as it is responsible for the trade landscape of India."

Visitors will get to see how Mumbai has evolved from a small island village to its current form. The port has played a crucial role in this transformation, being particularly significant during events such as World War II. Tripathi also says, "People will see various types of ships and understand different port operations. We cannot promise, but maybe a few lucky batches may see the arrival of some vessels or cruise ships also."

In a bid to promote local tourism and offer a glimpse into the port's heritage, THP has kept some elements as a surprise for the visitors. According to Goenka, "By opening the port for public access for a week, our organisation hopes to make people understand and appreciate the rich history and architecture of Mumbai Port, which, in turn, fosters a sense of value and the drive to preserve it."

When: Dec 14 - Dec 20
Duration: 3 Hours
Batch Size: 90 participants per batch
Timings: Dec 14 and 15-3 batches (8 am, 11.30 am, 3 pm); Dec 16 to 20- 2 batches (8 am, 3 pm)
To register: bit.ly/41A7VdH