Sunday evening, it was life’s a beach for Mumbai as the city marked Ganpati visarjan. A report in this newspaper stated that The Girgaum Chowpatty Lifeguards Association, an NGO that helps secure Girgaum Chowpatty all year round, did not have space to store its equipment on the stretch. Essentials like rescue boats, surf boats, swimming tubes, torches, ropes, life-jackets, rings, binoculars, walkie-talkies and search lights, all have to be stored at a member’s residence in Girgaum, and hauled to the site daily. The lifeguards, who survey the beach 24/7 in shifts, said in the report that they have to haul the rescue boats and heavy equipment from tempos to the shore.

The NGO states that despite numerous pleas and letters they are not given a space at the beach or in close proximity to the beach. Authorities claim it is Collectors’ land, so there may be a slew of permissions needed to have a small structure there to store equipment.