Need someone to ring the bell

The bell installed near Hotel Sea Rock at Bandra Bandstand in 2008 to warn people during high tides when the sea is rough was last sounded when former mayor Shubha Raul inaugurated it and posed for a photograph next to it.

The bell installed near Hotel Sea Rock at Bandra Bandstand in 2008 to warn people during high tides when the sea is rough was last sounded when former mayor Shubha Raul inaugurated it and posed for a photograph next to it.

HT Image

It has been lying unused since.

It drew attention on Monday after two youth drowned at Bandra Bandstand.

The bell was installed on April 11, 2009, after a mechanical engineer Mohan Redkar lost his life when he ventured into the sea to save the lives of a couple that was trapped because of high tides.

"For the last two years, there has been nobody to ring the bell," said V.C. Kapoor, member of the Bandra Bandstand Residents’ Association. "The bell was installed keeping in mind the frequent incidents of drowning along bandstand."

Raul added that the residents’ association or senior citizens, who visit the site for morning and evening walks, should take turns to ring the bell on days of high tide.

"The idea was to alert people had that high tide was approaching and that they should move to a safer place," Raul said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also feels locals should take responsibility to ring the bell when needed. "It is the job of the locals to take care of the bell and ring it during high tides," said an official from H (West) Ward under which Bandra Bandstand falls.

"The bell was installed after the association had promised it would appoint somebody to ring it."

Kapoor added that a board displaying numbers of the police and Fire Brigade should be put up near the bell so people in distress can call them.

Chief Fire officer Uday Tatkare said the bell could have helped alert people when the sea was hostile.

"Any kind of warning in such cases will surely help because people nearby will be alerted and rescue authorities can reach faster," he said.