Fourth floor balcony of Watson Hotel in South Mumbai falls; none hurt

The road in front of Watson Hotel strewn with remnants of the balcony that collapsed

A month after the Watson Hotel figured at the top of a list of the most dangerous buildings in the city prepared by MHADA's Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board, a part of the fourth floor balcony collapsed on Sunday. No one was injured, and the building was vacated soon after to avoid any untoward incident.

According to sources, one of the most magnificent structures from the British era, the conservation of Watson Hotel has been stuck for years due to the lack of government's pro-activeness in the matter. Designed by Rowland Mason Ordish, who is known for his detailed work on the single-span roof of St Pancras station, and named after its original owner - John Watson - the building has been an iconic structure. Opened in the late 1860s, it was in this building that the Lumiere Brothers showcased six films, which marked the birth of Indian cinema.

Abha Narian Lambah, conservation architect, said, "This has been the oldest surviving cast-iron structure in the world. In fact, this building has a special mention in UNESCO's dossier on South Mumbai's heritage. There has been a recommendation to conserve the building for long."

"Sad that there are no pro-active government policies... We often forget heritage is irreplaceable," said Vikas Dilawari, conservation architect.

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