Kala Ghoda: Recreating a slice of Paris in Mumbai

Revamped VB Gandhi Road and Rutherfield Lane will be open by January 25, in time for the Arts Festival

MUMBAI: It may not be Paris but it could come close, once the plan to revamp the streets in Mumbai’s arts precinct takes shape. Café-style furniture on streets paved with cobble stones and eateries serving all kinds of delicacies will be the main draw at Kala Ghoda, not to forget the cool and unhurried vibe of the heritage precinct.

At present, two streets have been completely redone – VB Gandhi Road and Rutherfield Lane, both near Rhythm House. Their new look will be unveiled to the public in time for the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, starting on January 25.

The idea is to enhance the cultural history of the precinct, once at the heart of the old city. It is also Mumbai’s art district as it includes the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Jehangir Art Gallery, National Gallery of Modern Art, Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Eliyahoo Synagogue.

An artist’s representaiton of VB Gandhi Road, envisioning its final look. (UDAI)

According to the plan, Kala Ghoda will get new pavements, lights and street furniture, and new parking spaces. Architect Pritesh Bafna, founder of the Urban Design & Architecture Initiative, told HT, “Everything, down to underground utilities, has been revamped on VB Gandhi Road and Rutherfield Lane. A new storm-water drainage system has been put in place. In addition, these two streets have been paved with a mix of basalt and cobble stones, which aligns with the character of the area,” he said. “We would be very happy if the entire area is turned into a pedestrian zone and, as we had envisaged, places to sit near the eateries are on the street.”

These two streets are a part of a handful earmarked for a complete revamp in the precinct. The others are Forbes Street, Rope Walk Lane, Sai Baba Road and B Bharucha Road. Executed by various stakeholders, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Kala Ghoda Precinct Association, the estimated cost of the project is ₹5 crore.

“For now, only a part of VB Gandhi Road has been revamped. In the second phase, the second part of this street will be taken up. Sai Baba Lane and B Bharuch Road too will be revamped in later phases,” said Bafna.

Makarand Narwekar, former BJP corporator from Colaba, wants to go a step further and urge the civic and other authorities to turn Kala Ghoda into Mumbai’s pedestrian-only zone in the evenings on weekends. This would be a first among many beautification plans in Colaba under assembly speaker and local BJP legislator Rahul Narwekar.