Tourist Spot: First houseboats set to anchor

The corporation has already invited tenders for towing the houseboats from Tarkali to Mumbai and expect to launch the service in April.

Soon, Mumbai residents needn’t go as far as Kerala or even Tarkarli to get the experience of living on a houseboat. Mumbai is likely to get its first houseboats, next month.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has decided to station two luxury houseboats in the creek near Belapur in Navi Mumbai. The aim is to popularise the Mumbai harbour as a tourist destination. The houseboats would be towed from Tarkarli where they are currently stationed. The MTDC has six house boats in Tarkarli, of which two would be brought to Mumbai, for the launch next month.

[related-post]

An MTDC official said, “We chose the creek near Belapur, instead of the already popular water-front destinations such as Gateway of India or Juhu beach, as houseboats need steady water and cannot operate in tidal water. Even in Tarkarli, though it is a beach destination, our houseboats are stationed in the backwaters.”

The luxury houseboats, which will have two bedrooms each, would be positioned near the Mumbai Maritime Board jetty. “The houseboats can do short rounds around the creek during the day and be stationed in one place at night,” the official said.

The tariff in Mumbai is yet to be worked out. However in Tarkarli, MTDC will charge rent, starting from Rs 7,100, for its houseboats. People will be able to book the houseboats online.

The corporation has already invited tenders for towing the houseboats from Tarkali to Mumbai and expect to launch the service in April.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram