Bandra Fort beautification on cards, BMC wants your suggestions

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants your opinion on beautifying the Bandra Fort. Citizens can send their suggestions to the H/West ward office (which includes Bandra) in the next seven days, starting Saturday, officials confirmed.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants your opinion on beautifying the Bandra Fort. Citizens can send their suggestions to the H/West ward office (which includes Bandra) in the next seven days, starting Saturday, officials confirmed.

Citizens can send their suggestions on ambient lighting for the fort, how to make it more touristic and its maintenance. Once the suggestions are in, officials will also release the beautification plan for public scrutiny, they said. (HT)

Citizens can send their suggestions on ambient lighting for the fort, how to make it more touristic and its maintenance. Once the suggestions are in, officials will also release the beautification plan for public scrutiny, they said.

Citizens can send their suggestions by e-mail to ac.hw@mcgm.gov.in or the H/West ward office address (see box) by September 9.

A senior civic official from the ward office also said that they will approach NGOs and ALMs in Bandra to get their views on the historic fort.

Castella de Aguada (Fort of the Waterpoint), popularly known as the Bandra Fort is a Grade-1 heritage structure. Located at Land’s End in Bandra, it was built by the Portuguese in 1640 as a watchtower overlooking the Sea. While the fort lies destroyed, it is one of the few remainders of the Portuguese glory.

The name indicates its origin as a place where fresh water was available at the fountain (Aguada), says Arup Sarbhadhikary, president of the Bandra Bandstand Residents Trust (BBRT). BBRT has undertaken the conservation and has been maintaining the premises for a long time now. Sarbhadhikary said the association will share its ideas with the BMC in enhancing the fort premises.

Vikas Dilawari, a conservation architect said that BMC must look at creating a master plan to protect the monument. “BMC must also try to revive the historical significance of the fort. It should conduct educational tours, give it boost as a touristic place.”

BMC is set to launch an array of beautification projects for the city’s beaches and forts, primarily Bandra and Worli in the next few months.

Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, additional municipal commissioner said that the civic body will soon roll out the projects. “We want to get citizens’ inputs for the fort. This is a part of the many beautification projects we will soon be launching. We will be undertaking it also for the Juhu, Girgaum, Dadar and Mahim beaches also in the next few months. The tenders for Juhu are out and we expect the work to start soon.”

Send your ideas

By post: H/West ward office, St Martin Road, Behind Bandra police station, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400050

By mail: ac.hw@mcgm.gov.in

Citizens can also submit their ideas by visiting the office