The Mahalakshmi Temple, Haji Ali Dargah and Wilson college are among the 17 heritage structures that will be along the proposed coastal road, running from Nariman Point to Kandivali, reveals the recently published detailed project report (DPR). The 17 heritage structures will be at distances, ranging between 15 metres to 330 metre.
At 15 metre, the Zaver mansion, a Grade II-A heritage structure will be closest to the proposed alignment as compared to Dandeshwar Shankar Mandir, a Grade III heritage structure in Chium village, at 330 metre.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) published the DPR late on Wednesday inviting suggestions and objections from residents till July 27. The 35.6 km ambitious road is set to include two tunnels, about 5.6 km and 5.9 km long, which will be constructed under water in the Arabian Sea.
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The 17 heritage structures belong to the Grade II (A and B) and Grade III categories. While Grade II comprises buildings and precincts with regional or local importance and special architectural significance, Grade III comprises buildings with importance for the city’s town scape, the report says. According to rules, no construction activity is permitted in a 100-metre radius for Grade I heritage structures, precaution should be taken in case of Grade I and Grade III to not cause the historical structure any harm.
The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has already cautioned the authorities to make sure that the vibrations expected during reclamation and construction of the ambitious structure do not affect the heritage buildings along the stretch.
V Ranganathan, MHCC chairman, said, “We also asked the authorities to constantly monitor the heritage structures so that it is not affected. If in the course of construction, the authorities find any valuable artefacts, then they have to be preserved. We have also advised them to get a heritage expert in the team to guide them about the structures constantly.”
Besides the heritage structures, the report also mentions the presence of fishing villages along the proposed alignment, including Manora, Khar Danda, Chimbai and Juhu sea garden. Rajesh Mangela, resource person, Machimaar Union, said, “We will soon hold a meeting to discuss the project in detail. We want our traditional fishing activities to remain intact.”
Heritage structures along the road:
Parsi Gymkhana
Hindu Gymkhana
Islam Gymkhana
Wilson College Zaver Mansion
Mahalakshmi Temple
Haji Ali Dargah
Dandeshwar Shankar Mandir