Viral Pics Show Stone Steps On Marine Drive In Mumbai, Grok Solves The Mystery

Nature and years of evolution have a way of hiding the past and unveiling its remains in the future, leaving humans baffled at the sight. The same happened in Mumbai a decade ago. A few images from Marine Drive, featuring mysterious stone steps, are now going viral on X.

Mumbai Heritage, a page dedicated to the city's history and run by Kunal Tripathi, shared four images of Marine Drive clicked by Lata Jagtiani ten years ago during low tide. The caption read, "What stands out are these broad stone steps along the edge of Marine Drive, near the road that once led to Talk of the Town."

Talk of the Town was one of Mumbai's earliest standalone restaurants and a popular live-music venue in the 1960s. In 1986, it evolved into Jazz By The Bay, and around 2010, it was rebranded as Pizza By The Bay.

Low tide at Marine Drive, Mumbai

These photos were taken nearly 10 years ago by Lata Jagtiani. What stands out are these broad stone steps along the edge of Marine Drive, near the road that once led to Talk of the Town.

The gaps between the steps are unusually wide, not… pic.twitter.com/Xz0bBn1QJY

— Mumbai Heritage (@mumbaiheritage) February 17, 2026

Tripathi also noted that the gaps between the steps are unusually wide, making them impractical for everyday use. "Each step also has curious indents near both ends. That suggests they weren't meant for people alone," the post added.

Were they installed to access boats, handle ropes, or serve some forgotten shoreline function? "These steps feel like a quiet reminder of that past," the post concluded.

Grok Says the Steps Are Remnants of a Temporary Pier

Curious about their origins, we asked Grok to determine when these stone steps were built and what purpose they originally served. According to the AI-powered chatbot, the broad stone steps currently intriguing Mumbaikars are remnants of a temporary pier constructed in the 1920s as part of the Back Bay Reclamation Scheme.

The goal of the project was to reclaim over 1,000 acres of shallow bay land from the Arabian Sea, expanding the city's boundaries and connecting Nariman Point to Malabar Hill. However, the project was abandoned due to scandals, delays, and financial setbacks. The portion visible during low tide was one of the few completed structures.

The gaps and indents were designed for handling ropes, securing boats, and managing construction equipment.

What Was the Use of the Pier 

The pier was reportedly used to transport landfill materials, such as debris from nearby hills, via boats, trains, and trolleys because the bay was too shallow for direct vessel access.

As for the gaps and indents, the chatbot revealed that they were designed for handling ropes, securing boats, and managing construction equipment.

Grok also noted that similar temporary piers were built at other locations, including Haji Ali, but were dismantled after the project was scrapped. Only the Marine Drive remains as a historical trace.

"Although the full reclamation was never realised, the surviving elements-like these steps-serve as a reminder of Mumbai's early 20th‑century urban engineering efforts," Grok concluded.

Social Media Reactions

A user shared a Reddit post claiming the blocks were remnants of a jetty built in the early 20th century.

https://t.co/8bZSO3JcJT
"No, these are remnants of a jetty that was constructed for an earlier coastal road project during the early 20th century. The project was scraped but these have always been there." ............True?

— tejas baxi (@tejasrbaxi) February 17, 2026

Another wrote that they had never seen such images before, and added that if low tide were visible all the time, the area might have looked "ugly like Dadar Chowpatty."

Ohhh never seen before pics.

Good that always high tide is maintained here..else it would have been ugly like Dadar Chowpatty

— Hugo Stiglitz (@Sergeant_KINO) February 17, 2026

A third speculated, "They look like the base pillars for a service pier. Maybe from when the stones were put on the shoreline."

They look like the base pillars for a service pier. Maybe from when the stones were put up on the shoreline

— Abdaal Akhtar | ଅବ୍ଦାଲ୍ ଅଖ୍.ତର୍ (@abdaal) February 17, 2026

If you spot something unusual in your city, click a picture - you never know which forgotten chapter of history you might uncover.

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