The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee says the proposed walkway will reduce the lake's size; also objects to amphitheatre; BMC says will incorporate all suggested changes in the project
It seems the path to the beautification of Bandra talao is riddled with obstacles. This time, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has raised an objection about a walkway that is going to come up alongside the lake. The MHCC has pointed out that the walkway will affect and reduce the lake’s size. They have also raised another objection, about an amphitheatre which is proposed to come up near the lake.
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The footpath along Bandra Talao is also in bad condition. The BMC says as there is no other objection, work on the lake will start soon. The MHCC chairman says the civic body has also been told about keeping the lake water cleaner.
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The MHCC has suggested reduction in the size of the amphitheatre, which is going to be made for a musical fountain. The beautification of the lake has been delayed for the last few years. Now, this year in the Budget, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made provision for Rs 5 crore for the work. However, since the Heritage Committee has asked the BMC to change certain things in the plan, the work has been delayed.
“The proposed walkway might affect the size of the lake, so we had suggested the BMC change that. Also there is a minor change in the proposed amphitheatre. Once all this is done, then we will give approvals to the project,” said an officer from the MHCC.
BMCspeak
Officials from the BMC said the changes will be made. “There was a plan to build a walkway around the lake, however, the size of the lake would have been reduced. Now we are working on the plan to incorporate changes the MHCC has suggested,” said a senior officer from BMC’s garden cell.
“Whatever changes were suggested by the MHCC will be done. They have not raised any other objection, so work will start as soon as possible,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner S V R Srinivas.
Local corporator Asif Zakaria who has been pursuing the issue for the last few years, said, “We hope the changes suggested by the MHCC in BMC’s plan will be sorted out at the earliest, and the project will start.”
Work on Bandra talao, spread across 7.5 acres, is expected to start in December and be completed in April.
MHCCspeak
MHCC Chairman V Rangnathan said, “Two months ago, we had suggested to BMC that they change the walkway plan since it was going to affect the lake. We had also asked them to build a smaller amphitheatre so that less space would be used. Directions were also given to them about keeping the lake water cleaner.”
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