The Queen of Suburbs may get its very own Queen’s Necklace, if all goes according to plan. The civic body is planning to build an ambitious promenade that will link the popular Bandra Bandstand to Reclamation.

A complete overhaul of the Bandra Fort premises, which has fallen into disrepair over the years, is also part of the project.

Once built, the illuminated walkway along the coast will shine like another Queen’s Necklace.

The BMC has roped in architect Hafeez Contractor to design the project. The civic body’s annual general budget pegs the cost of this project at Rs 30 crore, with a provision of Rs 1 crore in the current financial year.

The proposed promenade will run from Bandstand down to Bandra Fort and then turn up towards the underpass of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to connect to the Bandra Reclamation.

There is also a plan for a cycling track along the coast with the view of the sea on one side and green cover on the other. There will also be steps going down to the sea at certain points for people to enjoy the waterfront.

Castella de Aguada, popularly known as Bandra Fort, is a Grade I heritage structure, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), but over the years it has been reduced to a den of drug peddlers and other anti-social elements. “We want to develop Bandra Fort into a place where families can come with their children,” explained Sharad Ughade, assistant municipal commissioner of H West ward, which has prepared the proposal. “The project will be executed in two phases - the first will involve improving the existing gardens while the second one will involve creation of the promenade. We have written to various state agencies. Hopefully they will give their NOCs soon,” he added.

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While the civic body hopes that the project will be completed in three years, it can expect to run into some hurdles. The project will only take off after getting approvals from various agencies like the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Maharashtra Maritime Board, Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, etc. The BMC has written to each of them, inviting response.