Walk carefully.
You may fall off the edge of the city.
Thousands, if not millions live on the edge in our city. If you want to see what living on the edge means, there is nothing like being in Geeta Nagar in Navy Nagar and also get a splendid view of the city's skyline. Geeta Nagar is a small wedge of inhabited land that barely rises above high tide level. It is protected by a breakwater that acts like a seawall on one side and has the protection of a Naval base on the other side. It is connected by a narrow road that extends from inside New Navy Nagar and has enough space for a small BEST bus to pass through. Yellow and white taxis and newer Ola/Uber cabs are parked along the road that also has a small patch of mangroves hugging the shallow waters for dear life.
Route No 139
The BEST bus route number that takes you to Geeta Nagar is 139 from CSMT/VT and it runs fairly regularly thoughout the day. It ferries people who live in Geeta nagar to their places of work. Very few seem to make the trip in the reverse direction for obvious reasons but if you do, you are in for some interesting views of the city and the sea. From the other side. The long breakwater and the city skyline you see in the photograph below is taken from the Geeta Nagar Bus Stop. The breakwater extends to a stone's throw away from the NCPA on the southern end of Marine Drive. I am sure that you have seen it many times before and taking 139 is the way to reach it.
Here are a few photographs from Geeta Nagar.
Between the sea and the city.
On the wind and wave lashed seaward side of the Geetanagar are views of the ships that are sailing in and out of the city. The homes and lives of the people look away from the sea during the monsoons.
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| The western boundary of Geeta Nagar is this breakwater. |
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| On the road leading to Geetanagar. It runs along the compound wall of the Navy quarters |
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| Suriving mangrove forests. |
This is a typical lane inside a Mumbai slum 9or poorer parts of the old villages that have turned into slums). The plastic cans seen here are for collecting and storing water that is supplied erratically.
Special mention: The Open Air Gym
Mumbaikars are good at utilising available space. On a pleasant evening, this would be the ideal place for people to socialise and relax. It is also home to a open air gym. Those who prefer to walk cam take walk along the breakwater or sea wall.
There is one reason everyone should visit Geeta Nagar. It is for the view of the city skyline from here. But that deserves a separate post with images.
