Heavy Rains Damage Mumbai University's Heritage Fort Campus, Spark Safety Fears As Stone Falls Near Main Entrance

Mumbai: Continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days has damaged the historic Fort campus of Mumbai University, raising fresh concerns about the safety of its heritage buildings. On Monday morning, a stone dislodged from the upper portion of the university's historic building near the High Court-facing entrance on University Road and fell onto the adjoining footpath.

Admin Acts Fast, But Safety Worries Persist

Following the incident, the university administration immediately cordoned off the affected area with safety barricades and restricted pedestrian movement to prevent any mishap.

The incident has assumed greater significance as the Fort campus' main entrance, located opposite Bank of Baroda, has remained closed for repair work since May 2, 2026. Consequently, the High Court-facing gate had been serving as the primary access point for students, staff and visitors. With stone debris now falling near this entrance as well, concerns have intensified over the safety of both major entry points to the campus.

Rain and Tree Branches Likely Caused the Damage

According to preliminary information, the combination of incessant heavy rainfall and large tree branches rubbing against the building's exterior wall is believed to have contributed to the stone becoming dislodged.

Following the incident, Yuva Sena Senate member Pradeep Sawant and former Senate member Rajan Kolambekar contacted University Registrar Dr. Prasad Karande over the phone, urging immediate repairs to the damaged structure.

Heritage Rules Delay Fixes, Registrar Explains

The Registrar informed them that since the Fort campus buildings are protected heritage structures, repair work cannot be undertaken without prior approval from the Archaeological Department. He added that the university is actively pursuing the required permissions and has also written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seeking permission for tree pruning.

Yuva Sena has demanded copies of the correspondence submitted to the Archaeological Department and the BMC, stating that it would help expedite the approval process for both the repair work and tree trimming.

The student organisation has urged the university administration to prioritise the safety of students, parents and employees by taking immediate remedial measures, warning that any delay could result in a major accident.

The latest incident at Mumbai University's historic Fort campus has once again brought the issue of maintenance and structural safety of the university's heritage buildings into sharp focus. Along with Yuva Sena, several student organisations have called upon the administration to act urgently rather than wait for a serious tragedy before initiating repairs.

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