Lamington Road, Once Bombay’s Grandest Avenue, 1920s Postcard
Long before it earned fame as India’s electronics marketplace, Lamington Road was one of British-era Bombay’s (Mumbai) most graceful and fashionable streets. It was named after Lord Lamington, the Governor of Bombay between 1903 and 1907. It is a busy thoroughfare near Grant Road station in South Bombay. The imposing buildings that bordered the road displayed an impressive blend of Edwardian, Neo-Classical, and Indo-Saracenic styles. This image captures a remarkably broad, tree-lined avenue, with a handful of motor cars visible in the distance.
As Bombay expanded into a thriving metropolis, Lamington Road evolved alongside it while retaining its historic significance. It was one of Bombay’s widest and most elegantly planned avenues, lined with trees and impressive multi-storey commercial and residential buildings. It connected important parts of the expanding city and became a prestigious address for businesses, institutions, and affluent residents. Many of the grand colonial buildings that once symbolised imperial prosperity still survive, although they now stand amidst the hustle and bustle of modern Mumbai. Today, the road is internationally recognised as one of India’s largest markets for electronics and electrical goods. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – “Lamington Road” remains the name by which most locals still refer to the area, even though the official name is Dr. Dadasaheb Bhadkamkar Marg.
