Unauthorised restrictions imposed at Mumbai's Bandra Bandstand Promenade have been withdrawn after the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) intervened following complaints from citizens. The authority has removed signboards banning pets, eating and cycling, while also clarifying that no permission had been granted to prevent underprivileged children from entering or using the public seafront. The move has been seen as a significant step towards reaffirming the public character of one of Mumbai's most visited waterfronts.
Visitors to the 1.1-km Bandra Bandstand promenade had reportedly been stopped from bringing pets, cycling or eating at the popular seafront. These restrictions had not been introduced by any government authority but were allegedly enforced by the Bandra Bandstand Residents' Trust (BBRT), which manages the promenade. Complaints had also alleged that private security personnel deployed at the site prevented children from underprivileged families from entering the area.
The issue was raised before the MMB by Humanity World Foundation founder-director Shiraz Bhartiya Ahmed. In response, Regional Port Officer Captain C. J. Lepande clarified that the authority had never authorised BBRT to introduce such restrictions. It was stated that the permissions granted to the trust did not include the authority to prohibit children from entering, playing, cycling or otherwise using the public space.
In a letter dated July 22, the MMB further clarified that the trust had not been granted permission to erect wall paintings or signboards displaying blanket bans such as "No Pets Allowed," "No Pet Owners Allowed," "No Eating," or "No Cycling." The authority confirmed that all such unauthorised signboards had been removed from the promenade.
The maritime authority also explained the scope of permissions granted to the managing trust. BBRT had been given approval in October 2002 only to undertake conservation and restoration of the seafront, along with routine maintenance and safety-related responsibilities. It was further clarified that prior approval from the MMB was mandatory before any commercial activity could be carried out at the precinct.
For several years, visitors, cyclists and pet owners had expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which private security personnel enforced these restrictions. The reported exclusion of underprivileged children and objections to people consuming food at the promenade had also attracted criticism from citizens and activists, who argued that a public seafront administered by a government authority could not be governed through privately framed rules.
With the Maharashtra Maritime Board officially disowning the restrictions and confirming the removal of all unauthorised signboards, Bandra Bandstand Promenade has been restored to its intended status as an open and accessible public space. The clarification has reaffirmed that public access to the promenade cannot be restricted through rules that have not been authorised by the competent government authority.