Bund planned to prevent erosion at Bandstand promenade

The Maharashtra Maritime Board will soon begin the construction of an embankment on the seafront at the Bandstand promenade in Bandra, to withstand the damage caused particularly during the monsoon.

About Rs2 crore funds required for this work was sanctioned a couple of weeks ago, by the suburban collector through the district planning committee. But tenders will be issued only after the Lok Sabha election, an official of the maritime board said.

Robin Nath, trustee, Bandra Bandstand Residents Trust (BBRT), explained that the portion of the promenade which has been built on reclaimed land is particularly susceptible to damage during high tide and this gets worse during the monsoon.

"One half of the promenade is lined with big boulders. But the 1.2km stretch closer to the Bandra Fort is at a lower level and placing boulders would destroy the aesthetic beauty of the promenade," said Nath. BBRT has been maintaining the promenade for some years now.

He explained that "the plan is to use boulders encased in cement to prepare a strong base and build steps over that." The design is being worked out and a plan will be made before the tenders are issued, the maritime board official said.

The BBRT has discussed this matter with the authorities for some time now and it is hoping that the work will be completed before the onset of the monsoon.

PK Das, who is working on the design of the embankment, said this would provide "active public space" for hundreds of people who visit the promenade. "It will resemble a riverside ghat with a row of steps leading to the water. This will protect against erosion of the promenade," he said.