Greeva Garg –
The Bombay High Court has disposed of a seven-year-old petition in the matter to save a ramshackle ‘Esplanade Mansion’.
The Esplanade Mansion is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites located somewhere 400 meters away from the Bombay High Court.
The bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni while highlighting the need for a mechanism to protect such structures, observed, “There is dismal implementation of laws to protect privately owned heritage structures that had added to Mumbai’s glory and fame.”
The Court stated, “The sad story of this heritage building, we feel deeply concerned as to whether the State Government and its authorities like Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and Municipal Corporation should not work out effective measures and/or a robust scheme so as to preserve the heritage buildings in the city of Mumbai.”
The Esplanade Mansion is categorised as a Grade II-A heritage structure, being 157-year-old. The building was once a luxury hotel, named Watson’s Hotel being Bombay’s first luxury hotel.
Earlier in 2015, MHADA issued notice for demolition of Esplanade Mansion, which was suspended by the High Court when challenged by the landlord of mansion Mohammed Ali Noorani through a plea.
In 2019, the MHADA decision for demolishing the building as per the reports of its appointed IIT committee, stating the impossibility for building repair. In its opposition, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) examined their report and found it inappropriate.
Disposing of Noorani’s plea, the Court stated, “Some positive approach and a will in this regard would go a long way to maintain such heritage buildings for all times to come, as it is impossible to construct such structures in the contemporary times. We leave these aspects to the wisdom of the authorities, as we can go no further.”
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