The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on October 13 began razing down encroachments around the precinct of Mahim Fort, a grade I heritage structure. The civic body has undertaken a project of restoring the Mahim fort which will reportedly be it's first since Independence.
The restoration is an extension of the BMC's Mahim beach beautification project.
According to an Indian Express report, the BMC on Thursday, October 14, demolished 21 of the 267 residential structures that had cropped up around the fort. The report furthe states that the rest will be demolished over the next month.
A senior civic official from BMC of the jurisdictionary ward said that the encroachement is being demolished manually. They explained that the fort is in an extremely dilapidated condition and is a heritage structure which rules out the possibility of demolition using machinery.
According to BMC officials, the encroachers in and around the fort structure, who have been there since 1970, will be seen as project-affected persons and were given alternate accomodation.
Reportedly, the restoration project was planned by BMC in 2021 at behest of then tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray. In November 2021, the civic body also carried a survey to determine the number encroachments in its precinct to be demolished for the project.
BMC is being assisted by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and SRA.
The fort is owned by the Customs Department and the civic body has sought No Objection Certificate. The IE report stated that BMC will be holding a final meeting with the Customs department in December and will sign a memorandum of understanding after all encroachment is razed.
The report further said that the civic body will appoint a heritage consultant to survey and come up with a detailed report on restoration and cost.
