The BMC has 24 heritage monuments under its jurisdiction but has not moved an inch to preserve them. Out of the 24, restoration work has been initiated only in nine of them.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has 24 heritage monuments under its jurisdiction but has not moved an inch to preserve them. Out of the 24, restoration work has been initiated only in nine of them.
Restoration plans for Crawford Market, ENT hospital in Fort, BMC headquarters, municipal commissioner’s residence, mayor’s bungalow, Gateway of India, Veermata Jijabai Udhyan and zoo (Byculla zoo), KEM hospital, Five Gardens have been sanctioned in last ten years. However, amongst these nine precinct areas only two of them have been completed. This includes Gateway of India and Mayor’s bungalow.
However, the plans for the remaining monuments have been sanctioned, yet the work has been stuck in the civic body’s hierarchical lapses. Exorbitant funds of Rs480 crore has been allotted for the Byculla zoo, Rs 120 crore for KEM hospital and Rs 80 crore for BMC headquarters. While Rs10 crore has been set aside for Crawford Market’s refurbishment. Another Rs3 crore and Rs75 lakh have been allotted to ENT hospital revamp and Five gardens in Matunga respectively.
“There are varied schools of thoughts. A set believe that funds can be instead used for new projects rather than the old ones. The discrepancies and contradictory opinions are leading to slow rate of progress on our legacy,” a senior civic official said requesting anonymity.
Some of the historically important monuments under the corporation’s jurisdiction which have been completely neglected include Flora fountain, GS Medical College, Khada Parsi in Byculla, Wellington fountain and Horniman circle. No steps have been taken up for their annual maintenance and nothing has been done to ensure the periodic surveillance of the sites.
Moreover, a plan to survey these ancient structures by eminent architects to compile a “fabric status report” has also been pending since the last five years. “Although the directives and nod from the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has been given. The BMC has no will to revamp the ancient structures in the city,” said a member of MHCC.
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