Navalkar reportedly visited the beach on Thursday morning with city collector Sanjay Chhahande, civic officials and police officers. On seeing the pathetic state of the beach, he decided to ban the entry of people after midnight. This decision was taken by the Assembly in 1983 itself, but has not been implemented.

This move will in no way hinder law-abiding citizens visiting the beach, assured Navalkar. ``Policing at the beach will be intensified and police manning the chowky situated at the entrance of the beach will be asked to make rounds throughout the night,'' he informed. However, no additional police force will be deployed for the job.

This is to ensure that the beach stays clean, said Navalkar. Constant policing willalso stop encroachment on the beach, mostly by eunuchs and beggars, he added. Beggars, urchins and other `anti-social elements' come to the beach to spend the night and land up living there, informed Navalkar. Those who visit Chowpatty for their morning constitutionals also have to put up with garbage and filth. ``All this needs to be stopped if the beach has to be saved,'' he said.

The minister also has plans to beautify the beach, and the first step in this direction is the demolition of the structure housing the St John ambulance service. This is to be shifted next to Birla Kreeda Kendra. He also plans to realign the bhelpuri stalls to improve the `aesthetics' of the beach. The area around the statue of Lokmanya Tilak will also be barricaded and a park built around it.