Mumbai's Premier Business District - Nariman Point

By Author: Leura Zones
Total Articles: 38
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I always wanted to see that business district that had gained the reputation as the Manhattan of Mumbai. To be candid, I expected to be disappointed, after all, how can anywhere else in the world compare to Manhattan? I was surprised. To start with, the skyline is very impressive and this is as a result of the caliber of companies that have made Nariman Point the site for their corporate headquarters. The land on which the district is built was reclaimed from the sea. It was also named after the man whose vision it was to reclaim the land from the sea as far back as 1940. The man's name was Khusheed Framji Nariman. The vision of reclaiming the land was achieved by filling the shallows of the sea with steel architectural guts and then filling those shallows with debris. Subsequently, using imported cement and reinforced steel, a solid platform was built upon which the structures that constitute Nariman Point today were built. It is ironic to note that visionary, Nariman was sacked over procurement of imported steel at a higher price due to the Second World War which was on at the time.

It was easy getting to Nariman Point. ...
... Having taken advantage of cheap flights to Mumbai, I alighted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and then boarded a taxi that took me to the business district. Of course, for those who prefer cheapest airfare rates, the Chhatrapati Shuvaji Domestic Airport is an option. Again, it is accessible by rail from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or the Mumbai Central. These two are the closest railway terminals to Nariman Point. Once within the district, I couldn't help looking left, right and even center! The place is simply magnificent. It houses so many commercial enterprises both local and international. It certainly bears the sobriquet ‘Manhattan of Mumbai' for a reason. I couldn't help noticing the presence of the Royal Bank of Scotland, JP Morgan, Bank of America and DSP Merrill Lynch. These are just a few of the names that are registered on the landscape of Nariman Point. The government also has strong presence there with the Bank Of India and Reserve Bank of India also on the landscape. The political headquarters of the host state, Maharashtra, the Vidhan Bhavan is also sited at Nariman Point. International agencies and foreign missions also have offices here. I counted the Consulate of Oman and Qatar as well as the British Consulate within the district. This is not to ignore others like the French consulate and Trade Mission.

I had imagine that I would have to lodge in a hotel outside Nariman Point but the district even has hotels of five star rating. I checked into the Oberoi Nariman Point. This world class hotel features three restaurants, a bar and 337 rooms. I had no complaints at all while staying at the Oberoi. Taking a walk is simply great as I had the opportunity to see the Arabian Sea right from the marine Drive at its Southern tip. It was not difficult to get cheap flights on the return trip home having thoroughly enjoyed Mumbai.