After Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray insisted on preserving the Gilbert Hill structure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday ensured that it will work on conserving the monolith structure and work on spreading awareness about the structure to visiting tourists.
The 200 feet long monolithic structure made of black basalt is located in suburban Mumbai's Andheri (West). This is one of Mumbai's oldest geological structures which has been identified as a grade 2 structure, presumably formed 66 million years ago, when molten lava spewed from earth's cleft. The hill is one of the three monuments to have formed out of volcanic lava.
Over the past few decades, the structure was deteriorating due to increased erosion, caused due to littering and encroachment.
On world tourism day, CM Thackeray had likened the Gilbert Hill structure to Devils Postpile National Monument in California and stated that in the US these structures have been preserved as tourist sites.
On Tuesday, a heritage walk was organised at the venue under BMC's 'Know your neighbourhood initiative, where a group of historians had invited a group of local municipal ward officials and explained to them the historical significance of the structure. Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi was also present at the walk.
"We have had a mutual discussion and the civic body will play its part in maintenance of the structure. We will be cleaning the area and will also erect tablets, giving out information about the structure in order to spread awareness" a local civic official told FPJ.
The Gaondevi temple situated on top of the hill attracts a lot of devotees daily. Civic officials stated, the trust of the temple will be involved in taking care of the hill and the premises.
