Mumbai's Mahim beach to get a makeover

The Mahim fisherfolk colony is perhaps one of the oldest settlements of 'Bombay'. Standing here, one gets a great view of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, one of the most modern icons of Mumbai.

Located along the Arabian Sea, Mahim has its own importance if one looks at the history of his commercial capital of India – over the ages.

Mahim has a fort and beach too and not many visit it frequently.

The Maharashtra government and the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have initiated efforts to beautify the seaface.

State’s Environment, Tourism and Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray visited the Mahim beachfront on Monday to review the progress of the project.

A seaface involving 2,460 sq mt is being created along the beach.

Earlier, a tree plantation drive was also launched and nearly 2,500 saplings of big trees and shrubs were planted. The seaface will also have an open-air gym. A watch-tower for tourists is also being built.

There are also plans to have a five-km-long cycle-track from Bandra Fort to Mahim Fort.

Thackeray was accompanied by Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vijay Balamwar and Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar.

Mahim Bay is a large bay -- the southern end is Worli, the northern end is Bandra Reclamation and Mahim is in the centre.

The Mahim Bay was named after the islands of Mahim and Salsette were merged in the early 19th century. The Mithi River drains into Mahim Creek. It forms the boundary between the city and suburbs. The creek is swamped by mangroves and has a mini-ecosystem. The Mahim Causeway is a vital link road of Mumbai.

The Mahim Fort was controlled by the Gujarat Sultans, Portuguese, Marathas and Britishers. A look at the St Michael's Church, one of the oldest churches of Mumbai, and Mahim Dargah takes you back to several centuries. The Shitaladevi Temple has its own importance.

King Bhimdev, the 13th-century king, established his capital in Mahikavati, now known as Mahim.