Mahim Causeway & Lady Jamshetjee

Earlier Bombay was scattered as 7 islands and then it was merged with various means of reclamations. In Mumbai today there are various places known by causeways and reclamations. One of these is Mahim causeway.

Before 1845, there was no road connectivity between Mahim and Bandra and hence people had to travel by boat to cross Mahim Creek. During the monsoons it was dangerous, when the seas are extremely rough. People sometimes lost their lives merely in crossing from Mahim to Bandra and vice versa on the ferries. The government shown their inability to take up the matter due to too much of expense.

In such emergency, one philanthropist Parsi family took up the cause to construct the Mahim Causeway. In Mumbai today, Lady Jamshetjee Road at Mahim causeway is the reminder of this important contribution made by Avabai Jamshetjee and her family to the city.

Avabai, perhaps by personal experience, well knew the importance to local residents of building the causeway, and resolved upon seeing the needful done. She arranged with the government to have the causeway constructed by them at her expense. The construction of the Mahim causeway started in 1841 and was completed in 1845.

Cost for building the Mahim Causeway

She donated Rs. 1,00,000 at first. When the project cost escalated and money ran out half way through donated Rs 57,000 again to ensure that the vital causeway was completed. The estimated cost construction was far exceeded, and finally amounted to Rs. I, 57,000/- which was paid out of money donated to the treasury by Avabai from personal funds. The Mahim causeway was made open to the public on 8th April 1845. At the inauguration, Lady Avabai agreed to donate another Rs 22,000 to build an approach road from Mahim bazaar to the causeway. The road was opened in 1848 and bears the name Lady Jamsetjee Road even today,

Avabai was ready to construct the causeway on the terms that no toll should ever be charged by the government to the people for its use. Today Mumbaikars have to pay for the toll to use the Bandra-Worli Sealink, connecting almost the same two islands. The Mahim causeway forms the link between Swami Vivekanand Road and L.J. road,

About Avabai Lady Jamshetjee
Avabai Lady Jeejeebhoy was born in 1793. As the daughter of Framji, Avabai was a lady of independent means. She was the wife of Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, 1st baronet. Avabai was born the daughter of Framji Batliwala, a Parsi merchant of modest means who carried out a trade in bottles in the Fort area of downtown Mumbai (Bombay). The family belonged to the Parsi community. As per Indian custom of that era, Avabai was wed at age 10 to the 20-year-old Jamshetjee, who had lost both his parents at a young age and was then venturing his first foray into commerce under the tutelage of

Avabai’s father Jamshetjee was Avabai’s first cousin, being the son of Framji’s sister Jeevibai. The couple enjoyed a marriage of great felicity and the parents of seven sons and three daughters; however, four sons and two daughters e succumbed to the dangers that plagued infancy in the 19th century.

In recognition of these services, Jamsetjee was conferred a knighthood in 1842 and Avabai become Lady Jeejeebhoy. Subsequently, in 1857, a baronetcy was conferred upon Jamsetjee.