Mumbai: Heritage revival of Khotachiwadi starts with a clean-up

Residents and BMC officials clean up Khotachiwadi gullies on Saturday morning. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to kick-start the heritage revival of Khotachiwadi. And as a run-up to the project, the BMC organised a clean-up drive to interact with the locals of this area.

According to the preliminary plan of the civic body that was drafted by a consultant, the first phase will focus on reinstating the entrance to the heritage precinct, restoring the original streetscape, designing signage and reviving the traditional elements of street lighting through integration with pathways, drainage and waste management. There will be proper signages in a colour-coded manner that will help identify the uniqueness of the area. The project will be funded through the local corporator's fund.

The BMC and local corporator, Anuradha Potdar, chose the morning before the Maharashtrian new year, Gudi Padwa, to organise a clean-up drive for which residents united with civic officials to make their gullies clean. Resident, designer James Ferreira, said, "We want to ensure that our house gullies and streets are clean. The civic officials have promised us that this is a start to a better future."

The BMC said that the heritage revival plan was initiated, when the residents showed their concerns over the lack of infrastructure. According to the locals, the area is not easily located by citizens, as it is not given the right kind of treatment. The area, that originally had around 65 houses, is now left with barely 25, and the drainage system needs to be restored. When this work is undertaken, the paver blocks are likely to be removed from the streets and also the old Mosaic art flooring, which forms the entrance of several houses. The plans will now be officially discussed with the Khotachiwadi Trust to get several residents on board.

Tapan Mittal-Deshpande, conservation architect, who has worked on these plans, said, "The plan for the revival of Khotachiwadi is based on a heritage enhancement strategy with building a sense of pride within the community and creating a new model of participatory action with Khotachiwadi Trust in collaboration with the MCGM, D ward office."

VP Mote, assistant municipal commissioner, said, "We had a meeting with municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Friday and he has given an in-principle nod for this revival project where we will be redoing the streets and drainage system along with other conservation. Once the detailed plan for the project is ready, it will be submitted to the heritage committee."

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