The Bombay High Court on June 4 asked the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) to list out precautions it proposes to take while bringing down the Esplanade Mansion, a 150-year-old heritage structure. Presently, 64 offices in the building have locks on them and their owners/tenants have not responded to eviction notices.

It is shocking that there has been so much dilly-dallying and delay in taking any decision about this landmark building which has reached this stage of decay. What was happening through the years when reports were raining down about the danger it posed? Even to a layperson, it was obvious that this structure needed urgent attention, so why was the problem allowed to fester for so long? There have been so many reports through these years about the owner-tenant and different plans, including one of joint redevelopment, which of course did not materialise.