Bombay HC clears the way for Mumbai's powerboat race

As organiser Procam International had not cleared the previous event's dues, BMC demolished a stage that the company created for the motorboat race to be held from March 3-5 (FILE PIC)

Finally the Bombay High Court (HC) has cleared the decks for a Grand Prix-style race, which would give the state tourism department an opportunity to showcase the vast water-body and attract tourists from across the world. The court on Wednesday granted permission to Procam International Private Limited to conduct a three-day event P1 Powerboat from March 3-5.

The organisers had approached the HC after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) refused to allow construction of a temporary jetty and access road near the Parsi Gate at Chowpathy for the event.

mid-day's February 3 report

Clearing the way for the race, a bench of Justice VM Kanade and PR Bora said that Mumbai should not be deprived of such a grand event. "The civic body is not worried about unauthorised constructions and bad roads, but wants to disturb an international event," added justice Kanade. He further asked, "Isn't the chief minister worried about such an attitude of the Collector and others in stopping an event of such magnitude?"

Mega affair
Procam has joined hands with an international powerboat governing body Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), which is recognised by the International Olympic Committee, to launch a powerboat race in India known as P1.

As part of the event, several countries will compete on Mumbai's shores. People would be able to view the race free of cost from the promenade at Marine Drive. Seven teams with two boats each would participate in the event.

Revised proposal
The organisers' request for conducting the event was earlier denied by a high power committee appointed by the High Court. Thereafter, they had approached the court with a revised proposal, which mentioned that they would dismantle the jetty built for the event.