Submit details of plan to preserve Esplanade Mansion, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra

A division bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel issued the directive on a petition filed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which sought to preserve the dilapidated heritage structure.

The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday directed the state government to file an affidavit disclosing how it intends to preserve Esplanade Mansion — India’s only cast iron building — at Kala Ghoda.

The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday directed the state government to file an affidavit disclosing how it intends to preserve Esplanade Mansion — India’s only cast iron building — at Kala Ghoda.(HT photo)

A division bench of justices SC Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel issued the directive on a petition filed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which sought to preserve the dilapidated heritage structure. The directive came after counsel for INTACH, senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas, pointed out that a recent letter issued by the state’s urban development department (UDD) had directed the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) to take urgent steps to repair and restore the building, primarily as the structure was included in UNESCO’s Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles and tagged as a World Heritage Site.

The UDD letter also stated it was necessary that the building was properly studied by heritage experts for its conservation.

The bench was, however, sceptical about the technical and financial viability of the plan, especially as the building is privately owned. It asked the state if restoring and preserving Esplanade Mansion was a “mere wish” or if there was a concrete plan to restore the site to its past glory. The judges said there were a number of issues that need to be sorted out before deciding on conservation of the building — the first being entitlement of the owner. They said another big question was on the financial provisions and funding for the restoration.

The bench also said the steps could be taken provided repairs and restoration of the building is technically possible. The judges’ apprehension came in the wake of a report submitted by a panel of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) experts, stating the structure was beyond repair.