Plaza planned by Gateway for an uninterrupted view

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai is planning to recreate a plaza next to the iconic Gateway of India monument to provide an uninterrupted view. The project will involve clearing the existing plaza and relocating structures such as food stalls and security cabins. The BMC will work alongside the state archaeology department to restore the Grade-1 heritage structure. The estimated cost of the plaza is ₹9.54 crore ($1.3 million), while the restoration of the monument will cost ₹7 crore ($950,000).

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Plaza planned by Gateway for an uninterrupted view

Mumbai: People flocking to south Mumbai to see one of the city’s iconic monuments, the Gateway of India, are often deprived of an unfettered view of the structure. To correct this aberration, the Brihanmmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to recreate a plaza alongside to offer an uninterrupted view of the monument and the historic statue of Shivaji Maharaj.

At the moment food stalls, the ticketing counter and security cabins, which were set up as the need arose, stand in a haphazard manner at the spot. This is the civic body’s attempt to give it synergy by assembling them on the left side of the footpath ahead of the structure. It will start working on the project alongside the state archaeology department which has been tasked to restore the Grade-1 heritage structure. This will be an integrated holistic project between the two agencies.

“The place at the entrance of the existing Gateway of India plaza will be cleared to enhance the view of the monument. It will be shifted elsewhere. Abha Narain Lambah has been appointed as the consultant for this project,” said a senior civic official.

Lambah told Hindustan Times that standing on the road, one can see neither the Gateway of India nor the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “We will restore the line of sight with a viewing corridor. To achieve this, we are removing all structures in the current plaza because it cuts the line of sight to both Gateway of India and the statue,” said Lambah.

She added that the existing five porta cabins all along the footpath will be shifted to its left side. “These will be converted into neat structures that will provide facilities like security cabins, a few shops, toilets, a ticket counter etc. There will be a shaded corridor for people to stand in queue. Additionally, a little courtyard will be built where they can sit and enjoy the rains,” she said.

The estimated cost to build the plaza is ₹9.54crore, while that to restore the monument is ₹7 crore. While the land on which the monument stands belongs to the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), the land parcel where the existing plaza and structures are located are under BMC.

The present plan of a holistic development was taken after “many meetings which was a coordinated effort between MbPA, state archaeology department, BMC, police and tourism department”, said Lambah.