And for a Friday in Mumbai, elated by the undersea drive, disheartened by name changes, some thoughts….. some musings…..
It was a real WOW!! Moment taking the U turn at Worli sea face and lo and behold driving thru 9.5 kms of super smooth coastal road with beautiful never seen before views of Mahalaxmi temple and Haji Ali from the sea side, some of South Mumbai’s iconic Malabar Hill buildings and then oofff, into the chilly silence of India’s first underwater tunnel; absolutely noiseless, smooth, well lit, just marvelous 3 lane tunnel road. Opening onto Marine drive just ahead of the Taraporevala Aquarium and below the Princess Street flyover. Felt really proud to be a Mumbaikar. Congrats to each and every Indian who made this underwater trip in my childhood favourite Chowpatty beach possible.
I just can’t understand this obsession with our political leaders to change names. A cosmopolitan Mega Global city like Bombay already was chastened when the name changed to Mumbai. Just as we are getting reconciled, is now the news that eight Mumbai suburban stations are getting a roll over. All names being changed. Mumbai Central to Sir Jagannath Shankar Seth station, Kings Circle to Tirthankar Parshvanath station etc. etc. City lovers and conservationists rightly proclaim names have connections with places and form part of history. Ideally these should not be tampered with current justification of erasing the colonial past.
Mumbai is fast changing. Coastal roads, new metro lines, RO-RO car ferry across the sea, A/C buses and electric charging stations. Let’s all take the plusses AND minuses, the sporting way, the tolerant way, the SEEGOS way.