BMC seeks removal of Sachin’s art installation on Marine Drive

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a notice to RPG Art Foundation asking it to remove an art installation--which serves as a tribute to legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar-- at the Marine Drive.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a notice to RPG Art Foundation asking it to remove an art installation--which serves as a tribute to legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar-- at the Marine Drive.

The art work at Mumbai’s Marine Drive is one among the many public installations that the foundation has initiated to beautify public spaces across Mumbai. (Shutterstock)

According to civic officials, the notice was served on the foundation on Monday, giving it a day’s deadline for uninstalling the sculpture.

Sumeet Chatterjee, senior vice-president, brand and group communications, RPG Enterprises, said, the installation at Marine Drive was set up after due procedure and getting a nod from the civic body.

However, he was quick to add that the foundation has already initiated the uninstallation and is working with the authorities to scout for an alternate site.

The art work is one among the many public art installations that the foundation has initiated to beautify public spaces across Mumbai. Each installation designed by highly distinguished artists is donated to the city. Additionally, the foundation also undertakes landscaping and maintenance of the site where the sculpture is placed.

The notice to remove the art installation came after objections raised by various citizen and welfare groups.

The Marine Drive area was notified as a UNESCO world heritage precinct by the state in May 2015.

After a few months of notification, the Nariman Point Churchgate Residents Association, in a September 2015 wrote letter to the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, BMC and raised an objection to any installation or construction on the promenade.

In the letter, the association argued that the promenade is meant for citizens to walk on and it has been designed to get an unobstructed view of the sea.