***Oh Lord! ‘Yamraj’ warns traffic rule violators on Madh-Marve Road***

The Resort undertakes unique campaign to create traffic safety awareness on Mumbai’s roads

On Wednesday, commuters on Mumbai’s Madh Marve Road were in for a surprise when they found themselves face to face with none other than Yamraj – the God of death!

The Resort, Mumbai undertook a unique initiative wherein a volunteer dressed up as Yamraj directly confronted drivers and motorists if they were found violating traffic rules. The campaign purported that if a driver or a rider was thinking of violating traffic rules, they were stopped by the Lord of Death, Yamraj himelf! Yamraj did not just stop motorists, he also appealed to them to follow traffic rules! He also got assurance from people that they will not violate traffic rules and will care for their safety.

The Resort launched this unique initiative in a creative manner to spread road safety awareness and to educate people on the many fatalities that occur if rules are not followed. A novel idea, and one that immediately grabbed attention, the campaign seemed to be successful in making drivers think before they violated traffic rules. Road safety is among one of the major concerns of Mumbai’s traffic police. Time and again, the police have come out with campaigns on road safety, yet people end up breaking traffic rules.

When he stopped people, ‘Yamraj’ also ensured that he made them aware about various traffic rules like the use of helmets for two-wheeler riders, use of seat-belts for four-wheeler drivers, safe distance between vehicles, use of indicators, not using mobile phone while driving or riding vehicles and avoiding over-speeding.

A little distance away from where Yamraj stood, there were also boards with slogans written on them that ranged from Yamraj ko dekhke darr gaye kya to Aapka waqt abhi khatam nahi hua, gaadi dheere chalaiye and Wear helmet, wear seat belt to Ghar pe koi appka intezar kar raha hai, drive slow.

Talking about the initiative, Satyajit Kotwal, The Resort said, “The common psychology is that people are likely to refrain from an act if they are truly afraid of repercussions. Police try their best to warn people and make them aware about following traffic safety rules. But we thought the face of Yamraj will haunt them the next time they violate traffic rules on the road. I think we were quite successful in making people aware through this campaign.”

The Resort’s staff become eco-warriors to clean up Aksa beach with help from locals Mumbai, January 2021: A day after Republic Day, Mumbai’s serene Aksa Beach donned a spic, span & clean look. This was following a massive clean-up that was undertaken by the staff of The Resort, Mumbai along with locals from the neighbouring areas on Wednesday.

For the past few years, The Resort has been conducting clean-up activities on the beach annually with help from locals while also creating awareness among beach-goers to stop littering. Aksa beach is one of Mumbai’s most beautiful beaches located along the Arabian Sea. It is an ideal tourist destination with people thronging to enjoy its pristine beauty and surrounding.

In a day, The Resort staff and locals collected around 120 kgs of plastic bottles along with other litter. The collected garbage was then taken by the municipal trucks and disposed of in a proper manner. Most of the garbage collected included plastic bottles and cans which are non-degradable and pose a major threat to birds, animals as well as aquatic life. There have been several instances of birds and animals getting caught up in the choke-hold of plastic such marine debris is a hazard to the sea eco-system.

The Resort initiated this clean-up drive as part of its move to maintain the sanctity of the beach which lends the property its tranquil charm since it is located right near Aksa. While the Brihanmaharashtra Municipal Corporation (BMC) carries out regular mechanical cleaning of the beach, it is man-made litter and waste that are the real culprits in spoiling the purity of the beach.

Satyajit Kotwal, General Manager of The Resort Mumbai said, “We often see the beach strewn with litter especially during festivals and on public holidays when huge crowds gather here. It’s an ugly sight despite the beautiful surroundings. The litter and garbage spoil the scenic beauty of the sea and also creates environmental hazards for the aquatic life and land animals. It is our duty as citizens to ensure that our beaches are well maintained and clean. We hope more and more people join in the effort and we can maintain this beach with their participation.”

Interestingly, as The Resort team and locals toiled to deal with the trash on the beach, it caught the eye of many a passer-by who showed keenness to join the drive. The Resort is known for its scenic location near Aksa beach and is often flocked by people who wish to seek respite from the bustling urban life while being in the city itself.