Many rocks washed ashore parts of Girgaum Chowpatty in Mumbai

Pradip Patadi, a marine conservationist and a nearby resident, who noticed the debris in the afternoon, notified the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about it. “It may be some material used for the reclamation of coastal road, but it needs to be investigated.”

Huge amounts of unidentified rocky debris was found along the isolated stretches of Girgaum Chowpatty on Saturday, just two weeks after tonnes of plastic waste washed ashore owing to heavy rainfall.

Huge amounts of unidentified rocky debris was found along the isolated stretches of Girgaum Chowpatty. (HT photo)

Pradip Patadi, a marine conservationist and a nearby resident, who noticed the debris in the afternoon, notified the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about it. “It may be some material used for the reclamation of coastal road, but it needs to be investigated.”

However, BMC officials said work on the coastal road is shut since a month owing to a stay from the Bombay high court. They said there is no scope of any debris coming out at Girgaum Chowpatty, as there is no coastal road work going on at that spot.

“It is possible that the rocks were discharged from somewhere nearby, and it came out owing to change in tide patterns and water force,” Patadi said.

Another resident Mukul Mehra, said he was informed about the unidentified debris after photographs of it started circulating online. “We should not conclude that the debris is from the coastal road unless a proper investigation is done.”

Vishwas Mote of D ward, BMC, said that they will have to check the reason for the debris on the shore. “The last time tar balls had washed ashore and the investigation was carried out by the fisheries department.” In July, tar balls ranging from 15 to 20cm in diameter, and weighing almost six to seven kilograms (kg) were found in large quantities across various parts of Juhu beach. Some had also washed ashore Giragum Chowpatty.