Maharashtra: Ratnagiri to get India’s first maritime university spread across 50 acres of land

Representation Pic

Ratnagiri district is set to get the country's first maritime university spread across 50 acres of land, which it will share with a government law college, MLA and Ratnagiri Guardian Minister Uday Samant said on Saturday.

A few months ago, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had visited Ratnagiri district where the demand for these institutions was brought up. Samant said the Chief Minister approved both demands on Wednesday.

Sindhu Swadhyay Sanstha (SSS), a department at Mumbai University, has been offering courses in oceanography and fishery technology since 2015. Catering to Maharashtra's 720 km coastline, SSS plans to expand its programs in fish processing at Ratnagiri, marine capture at Vengurla, and aquaculture at Palghar.

The new university will offer comprehensive courses on oceanography, maritime history, law, and regulations. CM Shinde and Samant emphasised its pivotal role in advancing education and research.

The maritime university will cost between Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore, while the law college will cost Rs 25 crore. "This approval provides an excellent opportunity for maritime studies and research in Ratnagiri, which is an honour for the district," said Samant, adding that district administration has agreed to provide 50 acres of land for the two projects.

During his Konkan tour in March this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Shinde had announced the establishment of India's first maritime university as part of various development plans for the region. The announcement was made at a Shiv Sena event. However the approval came on July 3.