On Monday, BMC received the letter that granted the CRZ approval, subject to the conditions that no mangroves would be disturbed and no commercial activity allowed in the project area.
For long a victim of negligence, the Haji Ali promenade – a 1,110 mts stretch from Haji Ali Juice Centre to the fishermen’s jetty – will get a face-lift based on the theme of the zodiac. The existing 4-metre wide footpath will be extended to create a proper walkway replete with signages, street furniture and public amenities.
Since the busy three-lane road cannot be used for the purpose, the 5-metre wide semicircle cantilevers will be constructed seawards after demolishing the sea-side parapet. Each of the 12 cantilevers will have a unique seating arrangement shaped like symbolic glyphs of the zodiac, along with a sculpture of the zodiac sign.
Built in the early 19th century in the memory of a saint bearing the same name, the Haji Ali mosque is frequented by at least 40,000 pilgrims on Thursdays and weekends. “Haji Ali is a religious place but we wanted to give it a universal theme. Zodiac signs have this kind of appeal, something that any tourists can identify with,” said Lalita Gupta, deputy municipal architect for the project.
The lighting arrangements in each of the seating area will be based on the element that a zodiac sign falls under. For instance, red or yellow will be used for fire, blue for water, white for air and earthy lighting for earth elements. Some parts of the promenade will have buried lighting replicating the stars. There will also be ramps, public toilets and low telephone booths for the handicapped.
The work will start in another six months and will take a year to complete. After the 2005 deluge, the retaining wall at the seafront needed urgent repairs. Last year, BMC provided Rs 33 lakh for repairs carried out by the Maritime Board. This year again the BMC has earmarked money to be used by the Maritime Board to place tetrapods, expand the jetty and touch up the retaining wall.