The first signs of a warning came from a school friend whose home faced the sprawling and well manicured Johnson & Johnson lawns and the adjacent public garden. Until then, this section of Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg was arguably Mulund's most picturesque (and coveted) stretch for the tagline: Home with a view. We would boast of it as being our very own Marine Drive promenade, minus the waterfront, but where the green cover and hills in the background made for a picture-postcard frame.

"Fiona, what we were dreading about has begun - my view has been ruined! The drilling and barricading of the road is well and truly underway," she rued; a tinge of sadness lined her voice. The friend was referring to the commencement of work on Metro 4 - the 'Dreamline' as it's being referred to, that stretches all the way from Wadala to Thane. This was a couple of months ago. We hadn't been privy to this slow death as our daily route didn't include the stretch. Eventually, we did encounter this eyesore as it gradually took over the road across the length of LBS Marg that runs through Mulund. The entire line of green that acted as a divider was gone.