Mumbai Eye: Will the city's iconic ferris wheel plan ever become reality?

The Mumbai Eye project, inspired by London's Ferris wheel, has faced delays since 2008. Its future remains uncertain despite BMC's recent budget push amid location disputes

In its largest-ever Budget presented earlier this month, Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), revealed plans to construct a ‘Mumbai Eye,’ inspired by the iconic London Eye. The proposed Ferris wheel, modelled after the 443-foot ‘Millennium Wheel’ on London’s River Thames, has been in the planning stages since 2008 but has yet to materialise. 

 

According to the Budget document, the BMC aims to develop the ‘Mumbai Eye’ in collaboration with private partners under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The BMC, often regarded as the wealthiest municipal body in India, announced a Budget of Rs 74,427 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26 on February 4. Currently, the BMC is under the administration of an appointed official, as the term of its elected corporators ended on March 7, 2022.

 

Proposed features of the Mumbai ferris wheel

  The proposed Ferris wheel will include air-conditioned cabins capable of accommodating 25 passengers at a time. Previous estimates suggest the attraction could draw approximately 70 lakh visitors annually. In contrast, the London Eye, which provides a 30-minute ride with panoramic views of the city, attracts around 35 lakh visitors each year. Earlier feasibility studies had identified two potential locations for the project: Bandra Bandstand and Bandra Reclamation. Both sites are sea-facing and offer stunning views of Mumbai’s coastline.

 

Maharashtra Information Technology Minister Ashish Shelar, who also represents Bandra West as an MLA, said in September last year that while he does not oppose the Mumbai Eye project, he considers Bandra Reclamation an unsuitable location. Shelar had objected to the proposal in 2023 when the site was under consideration. In the absence of a viable location, the project was shelved in September 2024.

 

Long journey of the Mumbai Eye

  The Mumbai Eye project has had a long and winding journey since its inception. First proposed by the BMC in 2008, the idea was initially championed by Ravindra Waikar, a corporator from the undivided Shiv Sena and then-head of the BMC’s Standing Committee. The original plan envisioned a 650-foot Ferris wheel on a 14,000-square-meter plot near Bandra Bandstand. However, the project faced delays due to the need for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances from the central government.

 

In 2011, the Congress-NCP state government revived the project. During a weekly cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar proposed constructing the Mumbai Eye near the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, close to the toll plaza. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) was tasked with overseeing the project, with assurances that CRZ clearances would be secured. Despite these efforts, the project failed to progress.

 

Political shifts and pandemic delays

 

Nearly a decade later, in 2020, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government reignited the initiative as part of its efforts to boost tourism in Mumbai. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) was assigned to conduct feasibility studies, identify potential sites, and prepare detailed project reports. However, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted these plans, and the project was put on hold once again.

 

In 2022, political power shifted to the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena ‘Mahayuti’ coalition, and the BMC came under administrative control after the term of its corporators expired. The Mumbai Eye project was revived in 2023 when Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddiqui raised the issue during the Maharashtra Assembly’s Budget session. Siddiqui argued that Mumbai, despite being a major tourist destination, lacks sufficient tourist attractions. He suggested constructing the Mumbai Eye in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area, which falls within his constituency.

 

Opposition from local residents

  Following this, the MMRDA identified Bandra Reclamation as a potential site and began a technical feasibility study on May 10, 2023. However, the proposal faced opposition from local residents and Ashish Shelar, who raised concerns about increased traffic congestion. Residents proposed alternative locations, such as the Mumbai Port Trust, Bandra-Kurla Complex, the area behind the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), and Ballard Estate. Ultimately, on September 28, 2024, the MMRDA decided to scrap the project entirely.

 

Despite its potential to boost tourism and generate revenue, the Mumbai Eye’s path to realisation has remained uncertain. Although the BMC has included the project in its Budget, key details such as the department responsible for its execution, the allocation of funds, the type of PPP model to be adopted, the tender process, and the final location remain unclear.