The biggest hurdle in the redevelopment of hotel Sea Rock in Bandra, shut ever since it was hit during the 1993 serial blasts, has been cleared.
The state’s coastal panel, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), has given its nod to the redevelopment plan and forwarded
its recommendations to the Centre, which will give a final clearance.
The Centre had in April this year given conditional clearance after the state coastal authority and the Central panel demanded that the developers, ELEL, change their plan to build on the seaward side. The authorities approved of construction only on the landward side of the existing T-shaped plinth.
The Centre had then returned the proposal to the state for its approval. The developers have now agreed to revise the plan. In June 2009, Indian Hotels Co that owns the Taj brand of hotels had bought 85 per cent stake in ELEL — a subsidiary of Delhi-based Claridges Group headed by the Nandas — that owns the Sea Rock property for Rs 680 crore. The redevelopment of the property had been proposed since then.
“We have given our final consent to the proposal,” said Valsa Nair Singh, member of the MCZMA and state environment secretary.
With Sea Rock all set to come alive again, Bandra Bandstand will now be a landmark for the luxury hospitality segment. The other Taj property, Lands End, is a stone’s throw away, and the new Sea Rock, with an exhibition centre, spas, pools, a shopping centre and 500-plus guest rooms is expected to be connected to it.