Marine Drive, Promenade in Mumbai, India
This crescent-shaped waterfront boulevard stretches 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometers) along the Arabian Sea coast from Nariman Point to Girgaum Chowpatty Beach, following the natural curve of the bay with a wide pedestrian walkway running parallel to the six-lane roadway.
Land reclamation work for this coastal section began in the 1880s under Governor Sandhurst's direction, with the main construction phase occurring during the 1920s and the accompanying building development continuing through the 1940s after earlier plans were revised following the city's health crises.
The Art Deco structures facing this waterfront boulevard form part of Mumbai's UNESCO World Heritage designation, representing one of the world's largest concentrations of early twentieth-century modernist architecture outside the United States and reflecting the city's cosmopolitan aspirations during that era.
The promenade can be reached via Churchgate station on the Western Line or through numerous bus routes, with early morning and late afternoon visits recommended for cooler temperatures and favorable photography light, though weekend evenings draw large crowds of families and street food vendors.
The street lamps positioned along the curved route create a pearl necklace pattern when viewed from elevated buildings at night, earning the boulevard its popular nickname Queen's Necklace and making it a favorite viewpoint for photographers capturing the city's evening skyline from surrounding high-rises.
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