Bandra residents miffed at BMC's handling of fort and garden renovation project

The 17th-century fort, built by the Portuguese at what is now called Land’s End at Bandstand in Bandra, has been almost entirely plastered with cement

Mumbai: Even as the revamped Bandra fort and garden adjacent to it are yet to be opened to visitors, disgruntled voices have spoken out against the distortions to the heritage site and its companion. “What has been done to the fort is sacrilegious,” said Vidyadhar Date, former journalist and columnist, who was able to access the fort from a roundabout path at the back, even as the last touches were being added.

Residents also say access to the garden is considerably restricted. In the evening, it is open only between 4pm and 6pm. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

“The heritage character of the fort has been almost completely wiped out, with the old fort walls plastered over and painted a cream colour. It has been altered beyond recognition, except for parts of the outer wall, which are intact,” Date said.

The 17th-century, colonial-era fort, built by the Portuguese at what is now called Land’s End at Bandstand in Bandra, has been almost entirely plastered on the outside with cement, and painted a uniform cream colour, with some patches left where the bricks are in poor condition. Debris lies near the fort entrance and construction material is scattered all around.

This concludes a beautification project undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at a cost of ₹16.5 crore. The restored fort was inaugurated by MLA Ashish Shelar (BJP) on Sunday, after it was shut for around two years.

But no one’s impressed. Former corporator from Bandra, Asif Zakaria (Congress), shared his concerns about the garden. “They have considerably reduced the greenery. It looks more like a concrete structure. Earlier, there was a garden, open to the sky, and two huge lawns next to the amphitheatre, which residents would use for their walks. Now the lawn has been replaced with the most expensive basalt stone.”

On Tuesday, Zakaria wrote to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, stating, “The entire execution of this project seems to have been carried out without any meaningful consultation or involvement of local citizens or urban planners.”

Vidyadhar Date too was disapproving of the changes to the garden. “It has been destroyed, trees have been cut, much of the grass is gone and replaced with paved cement and concrete. What was a cool and shady place will now be a monument to the cement, concrete and construction lobby. The benches near the amphitheatre have been replaced with steel benches, which are badly designed,” he said.

Residents also say access to the garden is considerably restricted. In the evening, it is open only between 4pm and 6pm. An official from the BMC’s Gardens Department, however, claims the timings are yet to be finalised by the local ‘H’ West ward.

“We were the caretakers of the garden for 18 years, from 1990, saving it from being given to the hotel next door, till the BMC took over,” said Benedict Soares from the Bandra Bandstand Residents Trust (BBRT). “We had worked tirelessly on it, planted greenery, set up a watering system, putting in place an electrical system that ensured enough lighting, added seating and so much more. We volunteers would go every day to ensure the garden was being properly tended to. But after the BMC took it over, it never stayed properly lit.”

An official from the Gardens Department, however, denies that trees have been cut. “We have not cut a single tree. In fact, we have planted more trees. The amphitheatre was in a poor condition, which is why it has been redone in basalt. We also redid the pathways and added some greenery to the one-acre area behind the garden, and built proper steps to the mandir above the garden that people visit. Lights were added, play areas, and a drip-irrigation system,” he said.

Regarding the application of plaster to the heritage structure despite its protected status, an official from the state Archaeological Department, which administers the fort, told HT, “Using plaster is a norm in some cases when restoring forts. But we will consider the allegations if we get a complaint. The BMC has taken permission from us to do the beautification around the Bandra fort.”