Will Mumbai’s Beach Views Lose Their Glory?

Mumbai’s coastline could soon become an advertising space, with the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) planning to introduce floating digital billboards and advertising hoardings at around 20 locations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. However, the proposal has triggered concerns among environmentalists, residents and political leaders.

The proposed locations include Juhu Beach, Lotus Jetty at Worli and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link jetty. The initiative aims to generate revenue for the development and maintenance of port facilities and water transport infrastructure. MMB has invited tenders to appoint advertising agencies that would establish and maintain the advertising infrastructure in exchange for advertising rights.

However, environmental experts argue that the commercial benefits could come at a high ecological cost. Mumbai already struggles with considerable light pollution, and introducing brightly lit advertising structures at night can interfere with the natural behaviour of marine organisms, affecting their feeding patterns, migration and interactions with predators. For example, some planktons surface at night to feed and turtle hatchlings may move towards the city instead of the sea.

The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority has reportedly said that the proposed installations lack the necessary Coastal Regulation Zone clearances.

Meanwhile, residents and environmental groups have criticised the plan, arguing that beaches should remain accessible public spaces rather than become extensions of the advertising industry. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also criticised the proposal, questioning its aesthetic value and the government’s approach to commercialising Mumbai’s waterfront. The controversy has also drawn attention to New York City, which banned floating digital billboards on its rivers in 2019, citing concerns over public nuisance and safety.

Maharashtra Ports and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane said the installations would comply with applicable environmental and coastal regulations and that the initiative creates a potential for the maritime board to generate revenue.

As Mumbai considers expanding advertising beyond its roads and buildings into the Arabian Sea, the debate raises a larger question: should commercial visibility come at the cost of ecological balance?