Stone piece falls off MU entrance gate

University officials said a stone piece that is part of the entrance opposite the Bombay High Court became loosened over time and got dislodged as branches of neighboring trees had been rubbing against it

Mumbai: A stone piece adorning the entrance gate of the University of Mumbai’s Fort campus fell off on Monday, raising concerns about the safety of students, staff and visitors. No one was injured in the incident.

Stone piece falls off MU entrance gate

University officials said a stone piece that is part of the entrance opposite the Bombay High Court became loosened over time and got dislodged as branches of neighboring trees had been rubbing against it. The university has already written to the civic body, requesting the overgrown branches be trimmed to prevent further damage, they said.

“We will start repair work soon, but only after permission from the archaeology department, as the Fort campus is a heritage structure,” an official told HT, requesting anonymity.

The entrance gate opposite the high court was opened for public use on May 2, when the entrance opposite Bank of Baroda was closed for repairs,, officials said.

Following the incident, Yuva Sena Senate member Pradeep Sawant and former Senate member Rajan Kolambekar spoke with MU Registrar Prasad Karande. The Registrar informed them that the delay in repairs was due to pending permission from the archaeology department; he also confirmed that the University had written to the BMC for tree trimming, they said.

Sawant and Kolambekar demanded immediate repairs to both entrances and said they would follow up with the authorities to speed up the approval process and tree trimming work to ensure the safety of students, parents, staff members and pedestrians.