Procedure will give careful attention to not affect the original structures.
For the first time in the last 35 to 50 years since statues of prominent historical leaders were first installed across the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken up the extensive project of their restoration. The civic body has initiated the project, starting with the seven statues near the Churchgate station and close to the Bombay high court.
“The statues needed restoration since it has been years since they were installed. They have not been looked after. Usually, staff from the maintenance department wash the statues and clean them during special occasions. But mere washing does not protect the statues from degeneration,” said a senior officer from the BMC.
The restoration work has been entrusted to Vasudev V Patkar, a heritage conservation artist. He has been assigned to clean, polish and treat all the seven statues and has been asked to complete it before August 15.
Patkar, an alumnus of JJ School of Arts, has studied sculpture, modelling and metal craft, and has 35 years of experience with restoration work.
Most of the statues to be restored are made of either sandstone, marble or bronze and need special treatment while the restoration work is carried out. “The procedure is lengthy and needs careful attention so that the original sculpture is not affected,” Patkar said while supervising the treatment of a bronze statue of Sir Hormusjee Cowasjee Dinshaw outside the famous Parsee Fire Temple, also known as Bhikha Behram Kuva.
Recently, Patkar also handled the restoration work in the high court precinct, which included restoring two sandstone statues in front of the main gate and four marble statues in the garden area.
The city has more than 125 public statues most of which are in the A ward. There are over 33 statues between Colaba, the Gateway of India, Churchgate, Fort, Nariman Point and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
Once the restoration work in the Churchgate area is completed, Patkar will take up restoring the statue of Phirojshah Mehta, outside the civic headquarters. “I am expected to finish before August 15. So without wasting any time, my team and I are concentrating on giving our best,” Patkar said.
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