The directorate made a presentation to cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar last week and apprised him of the deterioration.
Mumbai: Overlooking the majestic sweep of the Arabian Sea, the Gateway of India is one of the icons of Mumbai’s heritage. A hundred-plus years later, however, the Grade-I heritage monument’s condition is cause for concern.
A recent structural audit of the Gateway has revealed cracks along the façade with vegetative growth in them and damage to the waterproofing and reinforced cement-concrete in the domes. The state’s directorate of archeology and museums has submitted a restoration proposal for around ₹6.9 crore to the government and is awaiting its nod.
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The directorate made a presentation to cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar last week and apprised him of the deterioration. According to the presentation, the pointing (finishing of mortar joints between bricks or other masonry elements) has deteriorated, and past abrasive cleaning has pitted the stone, leading to sulphate accretions and algae. The Gateway inspection was jointly held by the archaeology department and conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, and the detailed project report has been prepared by Lambah.
Officials of the department said that efflorescence (caused by water ingress into a building, in which the water evaporates later but leaves salt deposits behind) was also seen in the masonry. “The cracks and deterioration were inspected jointly by our Ratnagiri region director and the architect,” said Tejas Garge, director of the Maharashtra archeology department. “The last repair work on the monument was carried out in 2006.”
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Besides the conservation of the monument, the plan addresses the surrounding pathway, the steps leading to the water and the historic railings and bollards. “This is a project being looked at holistically by taking all the stakeholder government agencies on board,” said Lambah. “The structure is owned by MbPT, its maintenance is done by the archeological department and the area around is looked after by the BMC.”
The beautification of the plaza around the Gateway, undertaken by the BMC, was underway, added Lambah. “The conservation of the actual structure will need one year, and we expect the approval to be given soon so that the work starts before the onset of the monsoon,” she said. Mungantiwar confirmed to HT that on account of the “serious damage” to the structure, conservation work would be undertaken “at the earliest”.
The Gateway is an architectural monument in the Indo-Saracenic style, built to commemorate the landing of Emperor George V, the first British monarch to visit India, in December 1911. The construction of the structure was completed in 1924, and it was used as a symbolic ceremonial entrance to India for key colonial personnel.
