Wriiten by Sharadiya Mitra

The Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), is offering a new opportunity to hospitality brands, tourism operators, and innovators to revolutionise tourism along the Hooghly river.

The port invites proposals to repurpose three historic pilot launches—P.L. Rupsa, P.L. Hooghly, and P.L. Gopal—into floating spaces for culture, leisure, and tourism.

These vessels, once key to guiding ships on the Hooghly since the late 1990s, are ready for a second life as cafés, museums, and public attractions.

“Inspired by the success of ventures like ‘Bengal Paddle’, SMP Kolkata envisions converting heritage vessels into floating cafés, museums, cruises, and event spaces. This initiative aims to preserve maritime history while enhancing community participation,” said Sanjay Mukherjee, Senior Public Relations Officer at SMPK.

P.L. Rupsa and P.L. Hooghly, built in 1997, are steel-hulled and measure 32.90 metres each. Each offers 1,000-2,000 sq ft of usable space, with a capacity of 50-100 guests. P.L. Gopal, built in 1994 with a fiberglass hull, is 19.00 metres long and offers 800-1,000 sq ft, suitable for 30–50 guests. These structurally sound vessels are ideal for adaptive reuse and show strong potential as heritage tourism assets.

Mukherjee added, “SMP Kolkata is also offering free berthing at the Kolkata Dock System (KDS) for retrofitting, along with complimentary jetty space for passenger and staff movement during operations. This is part of a broader mission to revive Kolkata’s riverfront by blending culture, tourism, and commerce, while honoring its maritime heritage.”

The project marks a bold step in reimagining Kolkata’s riverfront. By turning historic vessels into floating landmarks, SMPK aims to merge tradition with innovation — a push for sustainable tourism.

The writer is an intern with The Indian Express, Kolkata.