MUMBAI, July 7 -- Although the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is expanding, the tourism hotspots have largely been the same. In an attempt to introduce a new go-to place in MMR's tourism landscape, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) recently decided to revive its plan to develop Nhava island. Nhava island is 2.4 km in length, spreads over 60.8 hectares (ha), and two hills rise to a height of about 150 mt. According to the Coastal Zone Management Plan (2019), 19.77ha of it falls under a 50-mt buffer zone in mangroves. Of the remaining area, 10.17ha is under CRZ-IA, 12.87ha is under CRZ-II, and 4.17ha is under CRZ-IB. The remaining 13.85ha that is free of CRZ restrictions is where all activities, including the Regional Park Zone, are permissible. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) revived its plan to create a tourism zone on Mumbai's western shore. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the special planning authority of the Manori-Gorai-Uttan area, which has permitted MTDC to establish an amusement-cum-water park and allied facilities on 100 acres of land at Gorai. The 1.5km proximity of Elephanta Island (or Gharapuri Caves) from Nhava Island makes it accessible with ferries. An hour-long boat ride is all it takes for one to reach the proposed tourist hub from south Mumbai by an hour-long boat ride. With the Atal Setu being operational, Nhava is also an hour's drive from south Mumbai. "Being a new epicentre for investments and opportunities given the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), CIDCO is looking for the creation of new recreational centres in the vicinity of the airport," said a CIDCO official. Among the plans being explored for the proposed new tourism centre are hotels, resorts, restaurants, convention centres, curated parks or forests, residential real estate, theme parks etc. CIDCO plans to hire a consultant to prepare a master plan and financial model. In the past, Navi Mumbai-based environmentalists have opposed tourism plans considering negative impact on the fragile ecology of the area. In June 2021, CIDCO floated an Expression of Interest to develop tourism on the island, but it did not go through with the plan. The airspace above the island falls under Navi Mumbai International Airport's funnel zone and hence has height restrictions for vertical constructions....