Days after the Bombay High Court appointed a three-member committee to determine whether the 150-year-old Esplanade Mansion can be restored, one of the members dropped out last week. Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari backed out due to personal reasons and another expert will take his place, based on the fresh suggestions made by INTACH, as well as the owner of the building.

The committee was formed after INTACH recommended names of experts for the panel. On December 2, the division bench of Justice SJ Kathawalla and Justice BP Colabawalla picked structural architect Chetan Raikar and conservation architects Abha Narain Lambah and Vikas Dilawari as members of the committee. Sources said Dilawari was unable to take on the responsibility as he had to care for his mother who is unwell.