Mumbai: Port trust chief to retire by month-end

The RoPax ferry operating between Bhaucha Dhakka and Mandwa was established as part of the Eastern Waterfront Development. File pic/Ashish Raje

Sanjay Bhatia, chairman, Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and chairman, Indian Ports Association, is to retire on July 31. Bhatia said, "I will be retiring, having reached the retirement age of 60 years."

Bhatia has been MbPT's chairman for four years. The port lies mid-way on the West coast of India, on the natural deep-water harbour of the city.

While this was Bhatia's last work role, he has 35 years in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Some of his memorable moments came, "When I was Collector of Gadchiroli, in 1994 and 1995. The Maoist-heavy area saw stiff opposition to setting up of roads. Yet, we worked through threats and opposition to see the establishment of roads under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)." The BRO develops and maintains roads network in India's border areas and friendly neighbouring countries.

Waterfront plan
Closer home, Bhatia seemed to be enthused by Mumbai's Eastern Waterfront plan which is, "essentially conceptualising a high tech city along the Eastern Waterfront of Mumbai. This Eastern Waterfront includes Sewri, Wadala, Haji Bunder, many vacant Port Trust lands. We have a beautiful plan, which includes a garden bigger than Hyde Park, a ropeway from Mumbai to Elephanta, and 11 km of Marine Drive, longer than our current Marine Drive. The plan is ready, it has to be taken ahead after all approvals." Bhatia added that there was a real push towards cruising in recent years, "and we have had at least 220 domestic and international cruise ships coming to Mumbai port this year, compared to the 40 in previous years."

Sanjay Bhatia, chairman, MbPT

"We have the new RoPax terminal facilities at the Ferry Wharf and a new domestic cruise terminal in operation for a while now," Bhatia added.

Watershed moments
In earlier work stints, Bhatia who is a mechanical engineer and an MBA from Southern Cross University, Australia, recalled pivotal changes as Commissioner of Sales Tax, Maharashtra, "when we went from paperwork to complete computerisation, with e-returns, e-payments, e-CST declaration, etc. Then, when I was vice-chairman and managing director of CIDCO, we started work on the International Airport project at Navi Mumbai." During the COVID-19 outbreak, Bhatia and his MbPT team set up what is known as the Covid ashram, close to the Port Trust headquarters at Ballard Pier. The ashram admitted COVID-19 patients, who fulfilled certain requirements like being asymptomatic and also under 50 years of age. The big thrust here was on healing through nature, yoga, herbal drinks, a salubrious environment, full peace and green, though the medical aspect was not ignored.

Meditation mantra
One big retirement plan must do for this officer is to get deeper into meditation. Bhatia is a preceptor (teacher) of heartfulness (Sahaj marg) meditation and has been practising meditation for two decades. He said as sign off, "Maharashtra has been a really good state and I have loved working here." But like they say good things must come to an end and Bhatia must call it a day, just like a ship that sails into the sunset first, a dot in the distance, and then finally, disappearing altogether into the horizon.

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