Let's keep Mayor's bungalow intact

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar is set to move out of his official residence at Shivaji Park by January next year. The Shiv Sena aims to undertake a ground-breaking ceremony for a Bal Thackeray memorial on his birth anniversary on November 17.

A report in this paper said that on Tuesday, the BMC completed the advance possession procedure of the property with civic officials handing over the 11,500 square feet area to senior Sena leader Subhash Desai, who is also the secretary of the Bal Thackeray Memorial Trust.

We hope that the memorial trust retains the flavour of the beautiful Mumbai landmark. Mayor's bungalow is one of the structures that give Shivaji Park its unique identity and defines the character of some of the fine residential structures that abut the park.

There should not be too much change in design of this stunning bungalow. Though the public cannot access it, being the official residence, it was visible from afar. On Visarjan day, artificial ponds in the Mayor's bungalow compound allow the public access to the space, and that is the time heritage lovers will see what a stunning bungalow the residence is. This makes it all the more important that the façade is maintained as is, and the basic character of the building is unchanged.

The Trust, which is entrusted with constructing the memorial, must ensure that the greenery is maintained. We hope that the place is not shorn of the green cover it has now. It is the green that makes it one with the surroundings of Shivaji Park. Whether it is naming infra after people, or making statues and memorials, city planners and officials must ensure that the sanctity of a place remains intact. Especially when it comes to a venue as iconic and aesthetic, as the Mayor's bungalow.

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