Spectacular panoramic view (vantage point) Of Queens Necklace and Girgaum Chowpatty from Aerial Viewing Deck Gallery at Kamla Nehru Park (Malabar Hill) in Mumbai is open to the public on 10th October 2018. Named ‘Pramod Nawalkar Viewing Gallery’, It is a brand new 2-story structure developed as a viewpoint location, built by BMC. This location adjacent to the park is always an attraction for its scenic view, Be it now or when it was a cafe.
This tourist attraction was once an Irani cafe called ‘Cafe Naaz’, famous for Bollywood movie shoots and celebrity visits. This Aerial viewpoint at Malabar Hill is a breathtaking location one must visit to get a birds-eye view of South Mumbai via those powerful binoculars installed.
*Picture Courtesy: Girgaon App.
Updates April 2022: As of Date, 2 new viewing decks have been constructed and are open to the public. The first one is the Dadar Chowpatty Viewing Deck & Second one is Girgaon Chowpatty View Gallery.
A Video: Before going ahead, Let us see Queens Necklace from very near
The Aerial Viewing Gallery
Under construction for the last 2 years (i.e Since 2016), this is a special treat to Mumbai as it is the only location in the city to give such a beautiful view of ‘Queens Necklace’ (Beautiful Series of Street Lights, Starting from Nariman Point till Chowpatty) and many others like skylines.
2 viewing decks beautifully designed with Malad stones used in developing the structure gave a really good facelift after a very long. In the year 2000, the long lease given to an Iranian family to operate ‘Cafe Naaz’ got over and BMC took over the place leaving just memories of Bollywood and people visiting the cafe. That was the 80s and 90s when the same vantage point was a famous lover’s point too with this open cafe operating serving beverages.
Also, a famous lovers point till the year 2000, The remains of the structure were nothing but a kind of old non-functional control room for waterworks stayed a shabby condition for years until BMC planned this viewing gallery.
As seen in one of the black and white era pictures on this page, It was a great view with lesser crowd and real estate developments. With no more cafes around and purely a vantage point Gallery, This structure adjacent to Kamla Nehru Park is surely going to attract foreign tourists and citizens as a couple of powerful Binoculars for Distant Viewing are installed. These binoculars are in the same category which is used to keep an eye on Sea Coastal locations.
With a huge space of about 50 people at a time, The view gallery is expected to have some long queues for those 2 binoculars installed. Not just Queens Necklace and Chowpatty, Vibrant views of the High rise of South Mumbai are also seen with water all around the coast.
The gallery is friendly for physically challenged and senior citizens too. They can also come and get some Flashback memories of the cafe with the Panoramic view of Mumbai. Below are things to gaze at once you are at this gallery with binoculars ready :
- Queens Necklace, Nariman Point : Little dark in the evening and Mumbai shows off the other beautiful sight of itself. This is the main attraction where the promenade is lightened up in authentic yellow colors bulbs on the street, creating a necklace-like view (See video).
- Heritage Buildings: Along the coastal and adjacent to that necklace view are the very old, iconic heritage structures. All the buildings look alike and are now secured as Heritage edifices.
- Girgaum Chowpatty: The same famous Ganpati visarjan beach of Mumbai is what will be right in the front as you as you go aerial at this gallery. With binoculars in place, one will surely enjoy things around the beach area like Food corners, Visitors, Massage wala, Balloon sellers, Bhel Puri and Kulfi ice-cream sellers, fisher boats, etc, and the famous H2O water sports too.
- Mumbai Skylines Aerial View: Iconic and Historic structure like Rajabai Clock Tower and the beautified Saifee Hospital building, The Ambassador Hotel, Air India and Trident Hotel Building, Spotlights of Wankhede stadium and more are easily seen from the deck.
- The Place Itself: Apart from the views as described, It is blissful to just be at this very gallery as the surrounding is lush green and breezy all the time due to the wide-open Arabian sea around.
Malabar Hill is all built and developed in a huge hilly location in south Mumbai. It is one of the selective residential of the elite class in the city. If you are a bit curious about more places to be seen near and around the Viewing Gallery, Read on..
Note: Car parking outside the park (Roadside). Details about entry fees (If any), Timings, etc will be updated soon.
Cafe Naaz Before This View Deck
Thought of detailing a little bit about the past of this place. This park is and always use to be a happening place in Malabar Hills residential. Prior to the year 2000, this place used to operate as one of the famous Irani cafes called ‘Cafe Naaz’ started around 1944 (i.e. Pre Independence). That was the 1980s and 1990’s the decades of love and romance in Bollywood, And so were hundreds of movie shoots that happened here at Kamla Nehru and Hanging Garden locations, Particularly at this cafe.
‘Cafe Naaz’ used to be a lovers’ paradise too. Catchup with that special friend for a plate of Samosa (Indian Delicacy) or other beverages was a perfect date spent then. Bollywood celebrities were frequently seen here for movie shoots and also to enjoy the beverages at this cafe. To make people from the 80s and 90s a little nostalgic, below is something special.
Look at the vintage banner below by this cafe, Many citizens in their 80s sure have seen it live.
“Where you can forget your worries…
Where you can enjoy delicious ice and a variety of sandwiches!
Where you can lunch and dine!
Where you can see the Queens Necklace after Sunset!
Breakfast, Lunches, Dinners, and Parties – Arranged at Moderate Rates.
CAFE NAAZ
Opposite Sir Phirozeshah Mehta Garden (Hanging Garden), Malabar Hill, Bombay 6.
Telephone No. 75069..”
More Places to See Near
Bonus to this attractive place is that it is inside Kamla Nehru Park and Adjacent to Hanging Garden one of the oldest and most famous attractions in Mumbai.
The nearest railway station is Charni Road on the western railway route, Few more recommended places to see are Sacred Banganga Water Tank at Walkeshwar, Hardly 4.5 Km up on the same hills of Malabar.
On the way on the sloppy hills is the age-old and famous Jain temple. Near Chowpatty beach, 2 main places to visit are Babulnath temple (Holy place of Hindu god Shiva) and Taraporewala Aquarium exactly opposite the beach.
Pictures Courtesy: Girgaon App, IranichaiMumbai, Browngirlmagazine.
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