BMC to redesign Gateway of India?

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to redesign the amenities and visitor facilities at tourist place Gateway of India, South Mumbai.

The civic body will raze these structures and redesign them into a single structure with a minimalist appearance. The single structure will come up beside the footpath and open up the precinct of the national heritage. The project is estimated to cost Rs 14 crore. No trees will be cut during the project, officials said. The primary objective of the project is to maximise the view for the public coming to visit it or moving around the periphery of the main heritage monuments.

“Presently, the view of the Gateway of India monument, the fountain and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in the precinct is blocked by these buildings. They have been set up haphazardly over the past few years. We want to remove obstructions to the view. All amenities will be developed in one single building on the side of the street and the design of this building will be minimal without the use of bright colours, so it does not take away from the view,” said a senior civic officer.

The work on the Gateway of India project is likely to begin in a month's time. The delay in beginning the work after the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) approval was received is largely because of involvement of multiple stakeholders involved. The heritage structure and the 100-metre area near it come under the state archaeological department, while the jetty and boating area is under the Mumbai Port Trust. The area outside it falls under the BMC, which includes the plaza approach pathways. The MHCC, which granted its nod to the project, has said that the proposed structures should be kept as minimal as possible in terms of footprint and appearance.