With paint and brush, Mumbaikars give Dadar Chowpatty a facelift

Don't be surprised if you fail to see litter and paan-stained walls at Dadar Chowpatty on your next visit. In an attempt to give the beach premises a facelift and raise awareness about plastic pollution, a group of Mumbaikars has painted these walls in a weeklong beach-cleaning drive.

The 700m-long wall that separates the beach from the garden and residential areas adjacent to the beach are being painted with simple, yet catching images of marine life on a blue background.

The week-long drive was divided into two phases -- beach clean-up and painting. As many as 140 Mumbaikars from various walks of life, participated in the drive spearheaded by non-profit organisation United Way Mumbai (UWM), as part of its 'Clean Shores Mumbai' initiative, a community impact programme.

Getting rid of social miscreants was one of the primary aims of beautifying the beach.

“We have painted the walls to send out the message that there are people paying attention to these areas, as in the night, miscreants indulge in anti-social activities behind the wall, including using drugs,” said Ajay Govale, director of the programme.

“The walls are painted with an aquatic life theme, to engage the attention of Mumbaikars, in order to make them realise the importance of marine ecology,” added

Govale.

The drive was supervised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Govale said, before the commencement of the clean-up drive, volunteers had to present a model of their work to the civic body for approval.

A BMC official further informed, Dadar Chowpatty is set to don a new look, as the civic body has planned to construct a viewing deck and a special gallery for senior citizens and the differentlyabled.

“Cleaning and beautifying the beaches is one of the key priorities of the BMC now. We are encouraging such drives because this will bring more awareness among people regarding the conservation of the marine ecology,” said the officer.

As part of the 'Clean Shores Mumbai' initiative, the UWM will be beautifying five more beaches in the city, which is also home to the Mahim and Versova beaches.