Mumbai: BMC is India's first civic body to launch 'Heritage Walk'

The first batch of 15 excited wideeyed tourists entered the hallowed portals of the iconic BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation BMC building the headquarters of Asias richest civic body which administers Indias commercial capital for the inaugural Heritage Walk here on SaturdayThe tourists were accorded a warm welcome with flowers by Mayor Kishori Pednekar the first two Archana A Nevrekar and Sitaram N Shetty were presented a memento and all in the group were gifted a copy of the BMCs 2021 calendarThis is the first municipal corporation in the country to organise such a Heritage Walk This initiative will boost tourism and also give Mumbai an identity as a tourist destination said BMC Municipal Commissioner IS ChahalIn an aggressive bid to boost tourism the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and BMC came up with the joint proposal to conduct the Heritage Walk inside the 128yearold BMC buildingAmong the mostrecognisable landmarks of Mumbai the building was built in the Victorian Gothic Revival style with golden beige basalt rockstones in 1893 by architect Frederick W Stevens who also designed the UNESCO World Heritage site Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus just opposite the BMC headquarters said a civic officialThe BMC building was built on a 6600sq metre plot of land at a cost of almost Rs 1120000 below the estimated costs and the construction work of the aweinspiring monument was completed in less than 50 monthsThe building has a 235feettall tower a 68feetlong 32feetwide and 38feethigh conference hall where the elected city corporators sit and deliberate on the future of the city and its estimated 150 crore souls ranging from among the richest in the world living in skyscrapers to the poorest pavement dwellersThe Heritage Walk in two batches includes visits to around 17 scenic spots with an expert guide appointed by the MTDC Some of the sites include the BMC Main Dome the Corporation Hall the Standing Committee Hall Inner Dome the Mayors Office chambers the Museum Tower the duck fountain the offices of various political parties the official saidThe intiative was inaugurated by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Maharashtra Congress President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat state Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray and other dignitaries on ThursdayThe architectural jewel of Mumbais administration is now open for visitorstourists on weekends Its the fulfilment of a dream We are also working on similar guided tours of the Bombay High Court Gateway of India Wankhede Stadium and other landmarks in the city Aditya Thackeray saidNot only the people of Mumbai but also people from other states and foreign nationals can now get to see the majestic municipal building of the countrys leading city and after viewing it it will make both them and us feel proud Uddhav Thackeray remarked even as Pawar and Thorat admitted it was their own maiden visit to the BMC headquartersThe weekend excursion conducted by Bharat Gothoskars Khaki Tours begins from BMC Gate No 2 and the tourists step inside to the main square inside the sprawling building and from there they proceed to the landmarks hidden from public view during the 6090 minute Heritage WalkBesides the BMC building some of the other eyecatching architectural marvels in south Mumbai built in similar architectural styles include the University of Mumbai along with its iconic Rajabai Tower Taj Mahal Hotel the General Post Office the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Crawford Market the Bombay High Court and Sessions Court the DGP Headquarters Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum St Xaviers College AnjumaniIslam School Wilson College Elphinstone College the Western Railway headquarters building the David Sassoon Library and the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum