Temporary barricades put up around Esplanade Mansion

The barricades put up around Esplanade Mansion. Pic/Suresh Karkera

After putting the responsibility for it on each other, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally agreed to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority's (MHADA) request of barricading the roads around the dilapidated Esplanade Mansion, according to the directions given by the Bombay High Court. Civic officials from A ward started cordoning off a section of MG Road and AS D' Mello Road using temporary barricades on Thursday to prevent an accident, in case a portion of the building collapses.

Roads cordoned
Over the past couple of weeks, MHADA officials had sent two letters to the A ward office, in which they stated that their role is limited to the building, and they have no authority to take up any work on the road which comes under the BMC's jurisdiction. Now civic officials have cordoned off 15 feet of M G Road and AS D'Mello Road, and pedestrians will have to take the David Sassoon Library Road, which runs along the Bombay Sessions Court. "We don't want to disrupt traffic movement and 1-2 lanes of the roads will remain open to vehicles. Traffic will slow down but traffic police will be present at the site to help," said a civic official from A ward.

Last month, MHADA officials put up a proposal with the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) asking for permission to remove all the balconies from the first to the fourth floor of the building. Civic officials said that the cost of setting up barricades will come to around R5 lakh and added that they are putting temporary barricades since they are waiting for MHCC's decision.

"If we have to put up metal sheets, we will have to dig into the concrete road which will damage it. If the MHCC grants permission to remove the balconies then there is a chance that we may have to barricade less than 15 feet," said the official. He added that they will also put up sign boards for vehicle drivers and pedestrians to inform them about the diversion.

Removing balconies
In response to MHADA's proposal, at their last meeting, MHCC members had raised concerns about the chances of the main structure getting affected when the balconies are being removed. They had asked the architect from MHADA to describe the manner in which the balconies would be removed. MHADA officials said that the plan was submitted on Wednesday, and on Thursday, they submitted another letter asking for a meeting to be set up for the MHCC's approval. A MHADA official added that a progress report on the implementation of the directions issued by the Bombay High Court will be submitted at the hearing to be held on Friday.

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