Marine Drive Mumbai | Queen's Necklace Marine Drive

Although this pathway is officially called Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, Marine Drive, Mumbai is name that has been and is being used for it. Leading philanthropists of the day, Mr. Bhagojisheth Keer and Mr. Pallonji Mistry, built both the promenade and the road. Its construction tale is an intriguing one. Marine Drive Beach is a major tourist destination in Mumbai, although it wasn't intended when it was first built; instead, it was the outcome of an unsuccessful reclamation attempt. The story began in the 1860s, when multiple reclamation projects to expand Mumbai's territory were being planned by the British government. But following the American Civil War and the Great Recession, the initiatives were put on hold. Following the successful completion of the Cuffe Parade reclamation project, the British government launched the Backbay Reclamation Scheme in 1919. One of the plans' goals was to build a promenade along the harbor, which would link Malabar Hill and Nariman Point, in order to relieve traffic in the city during a plague outbreak. Wealthy and powerful private investors contributed their own funds to build the 1500 acres of Marine Beach, which was intended to be home to upscale residential and commercial properties. But by 1920, following multiple abortive attempts at building, the British engineers had come to understand the many flaws and shortfalls in their design. Consequently, just 17 acres of the initial 1500 areas to be reclaimed could actually be reclaimed, which is how this stunning promenade came to be. A lamppost in Girgaon Chowpatty bears an inscription commemorating the building of the Kennedy Sea Face, which was first named for Sir Michael Kavanaugh Kennedy. Gorgeous Art Deco-style structures have been constructed along the area over the years. The elites of Europe and India made up the first inhabitants. Although Parsis accounted for the majority of property owners, most of the structures were also owned by affluent Hindu migrants from Pakistan who were part of the elite class. The Soona Mahal, constructed by a Parsi businessman, was one of the most well-known and magnificent residential structures in the region. Today, it is home to the well-known restaurant Pizza By The Bay. The Al-Jabreya and Al-Sabah Court structures were formerly the Kuwaiti Royal Family's vacation residences. A number of celebrities from the past, including Raj Kapoor, Suraiyya, and Nargis, also resided close to Marine Drive. Seventy-two years after it was first built, the whole Marine Drive section was resurfaced in 2012, complete with new walkways and bollards.