Mumbai : The controversial Bhau Daji Lad museum may get a makeover soon without losing its playground and open spaces. An Architecture student from Institute of Design Environment and Architecture, Nashik, has developed a design to construct a new building in the museum’s compound without using up its open spaces. He said, “I have designed the new construction in a way that the glory of the museum, which is a heritage structure, will be preserved.” The museum was caught in a controversy earlier this year when its trustees tried to use an adjacent playground in its compound for the museum’s expansion. Many fingers were pointed at this decision as Mumbai is already short of open spaces.
He approached Sandeep Deshpande of MNS with this design who presented it before BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta on Wednesday, for the civic body’s approval. Deshpande said, “The approval is a lengthy procedure and will take some time.”
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) passed a resolution in April to scrap the 12-year-old tripartite agreement with the Bajaj Foundation and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
The museum’s trust is on a six month notice period to ensure continuity, while the BMC will decide about naming a caretaker for the museum. Meanwhile, the BMC will play a greater role in deciding affairs of the museum.
