Preserving OLD STOREYS
Heritage Panel Moves To Protect Houses In Western Suburbs That Evoke A Bygone Era ………Sharad Vyas | TNN
Mumbai: In a bid to preserve the architectural beauty and peculiarities of several of Mumbais quaint, community-based societies, the state-appointed Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has for the first time recommended that four of these societies be protected as heritage precincts.
The panel has taken this decision following a detailed survey of eight residential societies in the western suburbs. The panel has also recommended that various colonial-era bungalows and cottages in most of these eight societies be protected with heritage status.
The panel emphasised that the architectural styles of these eight societies are part of the heritage of Mumbai and need protection. While making its draft list for additions to heritage sites across Mumbai, the MHCC observed that even though these societies were well plannedwith gridiron rods, regular-shaped plots and open spacesthey are rapidly undergoing redevelopment, with many bungalows giving way to multi-storey apartment blocks.
The eight societies surveyed stand on collectors land given to various communities on a 999-year lease by the Bombay Improvement Trust in the 1920s as part of a drive to promote growth and development in the suburbs. All the societies have various types of residential units, including bungalows, townhouses, villas, cottages and chawls. Such structures have heritage significance, according to the project architects for the western suburbs, Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC), Mumbai, and Archicrafts Heritage Initiative, Ahmedabad.
The Bombay Catholic and Theosophical housing societies in Santa Cruz have both been listed as heritage precincts. Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari, has been notified as a precinct, while four of its bungalows have been listed as heritage structures. Saraswati Baug, Jogeshwari, has been listed as a precinct, with 10 of its bungalows being notified.
Mumbai introduced heritage regulations and drew up a list of protected structures and precincts a decade ago. But the list was inexhaustive as it covered only 633 structures and precincts, most of which were in south Mumbai.
Following this, the heritage panel in 2004 reassigned to five architectural firms the task of developing a comprehensive and accurate inventory of heritage structures and precincts in Greater Mumbai, with listings that included the suburbs.
In the draft list of additions, there are 272 entries for the western suburbs, while for all of Mumbai the total number of new listings is around 700 to 800.
The MHCC draft list will be forwarded to the municipal commissioner and the state urban development department for approval.
AMIDST VERANDAHS & GREENERY
Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari