BMC to breathe life back into Sion talao

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to breathe life back into the city’s Sion Talao (Lake) with the rejuvenation and beautification of the centuries-old lake

Mumbai The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to breathe life back into the city’s Sion Talao (Lake) with the rejuvenation and beautification of the centuries-old lake, in a bid to preserve and restore it.

BMC to breathe life back into Sion talao

Located in the foothills of the Sion Fort in Central Mumbai, the lake is a grade II-A heritage structure, which dates back to the 17th century. Earlier, the talao was a known natural water tank with the Sion hillock expanding around it like a boundary wall.

Over the years, the lake has lost its prominence. Once home to several marine creatures, the lake is now surrounded by residential buildings at NS Manikar Road (also known as Duncan Causeway). Locals use the lake for Ganpati immersions and other religious rituals. Without a concrete historic record, the talao has become just another lake in the city.

History of the Talao

The Sion Talao is one of the last remnants of the natural water bodies of Mumbai and is presently located at a point which once used to be the boundary of the island city. Historian and city chronicler Bharat Gothoskar said that the ninth milestone of the island city has been recently restored just beside the pond.

“The Sion Talao used to be the northernmost tip of the original island city and served as the main source of water to the nearby villages during that era. Today, this lake is one of the last remaining tanks in South Mumbai apart from the Banganga Tank in the Malabar Hills. Earlier, there used to be several tanks in Mumbai but with time, many of these tanks were filled to avoid breeding of mosquitoes and to create playgrounds,” Gothoskar said.

Gothoskar maintained that during that colonial period, the Sion Fort marked the boundary between the British Parel Islands and the Portuguese-held Salsette Islands.

“During the 17th and 18th century, Sion used to be the border of the present day’s island city which was under the control of the English regime. The Sion Fort, Kala Qilla or Riwa Fort and Sion Bastion were the three fortifications that were made by the then English regime to protect the island,” Gothoskar said.

There is also an archway in the southern part of the tank. According to oral history, this archway used to be the exit point of a tunnel that had originated from inside the Sion Fort. This tunnel would serve as a walkway for cattle, soldiers and horses that would come to the talao for water. There is a lion emblem on top of this archway and it is currently sealed.

BMC’s plan

The Heritage cell of the BMC has chalked out a plan to rejuvenate and beautify the entire periphery of the lake. It aims to redesign the walkways around the lake and install several design elements on the bank. The talao has an average depth of 6-8 metres and the dimension expands to 65-68 metres, forming a square. There are existing staircases on the ghats that lead to the lake.

“We are trying to give this place a major facelift so that it becomes appealing and attracts visitors and tourists. At present, the entire lake is one united water body where Ganapati immersions and other religious rituals take place. We are planning to divide this lake into two parts so that a small part of this lake can be used for religious purposes, while the remaining portion will serve as the main water body,” said a senior official.

“During the construction, we will shift the marine organisms in an artificial tank under the supervision of experts. After the project is complete, they will be released into the lake,” the official added. The BMC officials also maintained that information kiosks and plaques will be installed near the entry points and around the periphery of the lake which will give out relevant information about the lake’s history.

The BMC has roped in heritage architectural firm Vaastu Vidhaan as a consultant for this beautification project. The architects from this firm said that the proposed design will include setting up an art gallery and a public plaza on the eastern bank of the lake.

“Our primary motive is to give all the objects around the lake a specific character that would reflect the history of this place. The historical relevance is unknown to many people and throughout our design, we will be able to disseminate information to visitors,” said architect Rahul Chemburkar from Vaastu Vidhaan.

Chemburkar said that the steps and walkways that were made with basalt stones during that era, will be thoroughly cleaned and refurbished to restore their original outlook. Besides this, water fountains along with aerators will also be installed inside the lake and the pathways will be widened by altering the elements that were added later.

“To uplift the beauty of this place, we will be setting up cast iron railings that will give a vintage outlook. We will also be installing vintage era electric poles and illuminating the archway to highlight the historic charm of this place,” Chemburkar said.

According to the BMC officials, this project is in the final tendering stage and the overall expense is estimated at ₹9-14 crore.

Locals speak

Before the BMC took the lake under its jurisdiction in 2014, it was locals who looked after and maintained the talao. Vijay Yadav, who is a local resident, said that his family has been taking care of the lake for more than three generations.

“Many builders wanted to acquire this place but we have protected it for years with whatever we had. I had filed several RTIs and went through litigation at my own expense to protect this lake from going into the wrong hands,” said Yadav.

“There is a sentiment about this lake among local residents. Earlier civic authorities wanted to carry out restoration, but we didn’t allow as they wanted to install paver blocks by removing the basalt stones. It’s good that the heritage cell has taken up the project,” he said.