Ballard Estate is an area in Fort, the prime business district of Mumbai. The area is full of old buildings, with a lot of offices and wonderful tree-lined roads. At a major road junction at Ballard Estate stands a beautiful sandstone column. It is shaped like a lamp post and is decorated with winged lions. It has three sides and all of them are adorned with brass plaques, which serve as a reminder of how important the docks of the city were to the war efforts during World War I.

The Port Trust’s efforts involved embarkment and disembarkment of troops at the docks, facilitation of movement of troops and the injured to and from the city, transport of military stores, and repairing of ships.

The memorial stands at the center of the road junction and is protected by a circular fence. The area in the immediate vicinity has a lot of old important buildings and beautiful trees.

The best possible time to admire the monument from up close might be during early morning hours when there is less traffic. Or from a distance during a hot afternoon from under the shade of a nearby tree. With beautiful old buildings adorning the background, you get a picture-perfect view of the memorial which stands tall and proud in the center of the busy business district.