Piyush M Padwale
20th September 2025 marks a great day for the global tourism hub, as PM Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, India’s largest cruise terminal, which can handle up to 200 cruise ships and about 1 million passengers annually.
The state-of-the-art terminal design speaks a very modern design language, surrounded by panoramic views for a world-class tourist experience, and was inaugurated as part of the ‘Samudra Se Samriddhi’ initiative.
A ₹34,200 crore development initiative, it includes maritime, port, infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, and transport projects. A few other ports that fall under this are the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, Paradip Port in Odisha, Kamarajar Port in Tamil Nadu, Deendayal Port in Gujarat, and the Inland Waterways of Patna & Varanasi for eco-friendly transport.
There are a few Gujarat-specific projects that fall under this initiative, with a total investment of over ₹26,354 crore used for this very purpose.
Some of the prominent projects that come under this are the Dholera Special Investment Region (Greenfield Industrial City), the HPLNG Regasification Terminal at Chhara Port, the Acrylics and Oxo Alcohol Project at the IOCL Refinery, the PM-KUSUM Solar Feeder, the Badeli Solar PV Project, the full solarization of the Dhordo Village, the expansion of Sir T. General Hospital, Bhavnagar, the upgrade of Guru Govind Sinh Govt Hospital, Jamnagar, and the introduction of four-laning of 70 km in the national highways.
On his visit to the state, PM Modi addresses the potential of the ocean as a major opportunity for India’s 21st-century growth. He also went on to criticize past governments for underutilization of this very potential, especially with regard to industry and trade, further emphasizing sustainable development, modern infrastructure, and global maritime positioning.