As work on Metro III continues in full throttle, let's hope the row of iconic heritage buildings that dot the stretch in Fort survive the drill
"Psst, Lady Flora; are you awake?" Sir PM Mehta tiptoed around the fountain's base, parts of which were still under a shroud and scaffolding, hoping not to attract unnecessary attention. Looking splendid, post restoration, she turned, and gracefully stepped down from her pedestal, to greet her old confidante from the other end of the road. "The non-stop drilling because of the Metro work is turning out to be a nightmare, Pheroze. No beauty sleep; no R&R - all of which was necessary, if I am to recall my restorers' advice," she sighed.
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"Throughout Hornby Road (now Dr DN Road), it's the same drill (pun intended), whenever I step down to take a stroll in the wee hours of the morning. I wonder how my friends in aapro Petit's Reading Hall and Library have been managing, or even the monsoon-battered columns that hold Whiteway and Laidlaw (now Khadi & Village Commission). It brought back memories of traumatic sessions on the dentist's chair to extract my molars," Sir PM winced, even as his last few words were drowned in the high-decibel drilling, as the two statues made their way down the iconic road. Iconic, maybe not. For a while now, the heritage lover will have to make peace with the reality that half of the road's grandeur has been marred by wall-high dividers.
The two walked gingerly, coming to terms with the new sounds of the night in their beloved city. Balancing his spectacles on his nose, the Parsi administrator halted under a column at Eruckshaw Building, and turned philosophical: "I've overheard from the highest echelons of power in the BMC that this is being done for the good of Bombay. I hope they are right." Flora wasn't convinced. "But, Pheroze…look at the disturbance caused to these heritage buildings; it's being done on such a massive scale. Will they survive this long-term project?" In his attempt to distract his friend to happier developments, Sir PM said: "Look, Capitol is getting a timely restoration. It's the best news, after Wellington and Mulji Jetha's (fountains) makeovers. Did you know that the cinema hall opened around the time you arrived in Bombay? The place ran to packed houses," he informed, as Lady Flora listened attentively.
"I'm waiting for the day when it reopens. In between my administrative duties and drafting countless policies for a city that was undergoing rapid change, I was never able to watch a film here. Err…would it be too much to ask for your company for a show?" he enquired, hesitatingly. Finally, a half-smiling Flora nodded. "Most certainly, Pheroze. It would be my pleasure."
Just as Sir PM heaved a sigh of relief at orchestrating a distraction, a loud sound killed the mood. In another section of Dr DN Road, fresh drilling had commenced, as a group of sleepy pigeons and crows flew away in slow-mo to an alcove in the adjacent building. By now they had reached the main junction outside BMC and CST buildings. "When the subway was built under the railway terminus, we faced tough times. But we survived, and it continues to benefit thousands till date," he explained. "Well, if I must believe my friends in Bangalore, they tell me that after their iconic Mahatma Gandhi Road was dug up for the Metro, its scenic vista changed forever," debated Lady Flora. Sir PM, the celebrated lawyer that he was, had to rest his case.
mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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