Story highlights A Mumbai lawyer and environmentalist is leading the clean-up effort

5.3 million kilograms of trash and plastic have been removed from the beach

New Delhi (CNN) It's hard to believe, but this pristine shoreline was until recently considered to be one of Mumbai's dirtiest beaches.

Labeled the "world's largest beach clean-up project" by the United Nations, Versova's dramatic transformation from filthy to fabulous has gone viral in India, where online commentators have praised the role of local volunteers in helping in the colossal effort.

Led by spirited young lawyer and environmentalist Afroz Shah, volunteers collected a staggering 5.3 million kilograms of decomposing trash and plastic from the 2.5 kilometer stretch of beach over a period of 21 months.

"I shifted to my new apartment two years back and saw plastic on the beach -- it was 5.5 feet high. A man could drown in the plastic," Shah told CNN. "I said I'm going to come on the field and do something. I have to protect my environment and it requires ground action."

Versova beach on August 6, 2016. The beach held 5.3 million kilograms of trash before it underwent the world's largest beach clean-up.

Shah, 33, began cleaning the beach in 2015 with the help of a neighbor. Over time, he was joined by more than 1,000 volunteers including local Versova residents, slum-dwellers, politicians, Bollywood celebrities and schoolchildren.

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