Mumbai: Four telescopes at the Pramod Navalkar Viewing Gallery were found covered during a Free Press Journal visit, despite the BMC maintaining that they are operational. Visitors claimed the telescopes had remained covered during several visits over recent months.
Viewing Gallery Offers Panoramic Views Of Mumbai's Coastline
The viewing gallery, inaugurated in October 2018, offers panoramic views of Marine Drive, the Queen’s Necklace, Chowpatty, Mumbai Harbour and the Arabian Sea.
Sumit Gaud, a tourist from Bhandup, said, “I visited the gallery three times a few months ago and every time found the telescopes covered. The nature trail was also closed.”
BMC Official Maintains Telescopes Are Operational
BMC sub-engineer Tadavi maintained that the telescopes were operational, suggesting staff might have temporarily covered them during lunch. Sources, however, attributed the situation to a staff shortage.
Meanwhile, the nearby elevated nature trail has remained closed since June 2026. Opened in March 2025, Mumbai’s first elevated forest trail features a 485-metre timber walkway through the canopy near Kamala Nehru Park and Hanging Gardens. It closed after a branch of a century-old tree fell onto the walkway.
Tadavi said the civil department was undertaking repairs and referred queries about progress to that department. Sources indicated a possible January reopening, without official confirmation.
A visitor questioned the BMC’s tourism priorities, citing the prolonged closure of the attraction.
A local resident Prakash Munshi criticised the expenditure and closure. “I am amazed by what the BMC is doing,” he said, questioning the environment minister’s role and alleging that ministers “seem to care only about builders”.
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