Mumbai's iconic Marine Drive now accessible to wheelchair users

One of Mumbai’s most iconic landmarks, Marine Drive, is now wheelchair accessible. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recently installed a ramp near Wankhede Stadium, providing wheelchair users with access to the popular seaside promenade for the first time. A wheelchair sign has also been painted at the site for visibility.

The ramp installation follows persistent efforts by accessibility advocate Siddharth Mhatre and Mumbai Wheelchair Cricket Team captain Rahul Ramugade, who had long faced difficulty accessing Marine Drive. While Ramugade managed with a manual wheelchair, Mhatre’s electric wheelchair couldn’t get past the barriers.

After raising the issue with BMC officials, Mhatre’s push led to the A ward installing a ramp and adding wheelchair signage. His earlier efforts had already brought improvements to Dadar Parsi Colony and Shivaji Park. According to officials from the BMC’s A ward, additional ramps are planned along Marine Drive, making the stretch more inclusive.

This development comes as the BMC works on broader city-wide accessibility plans, including a proposed ₹2 crore audit of footpaths to ensure disability-friendly infrastructure. Proposals from NGOs are currently being reviewed.