The BMC's Textile Museum at the India United Mills compound in Kalachowki has faced multiple delays since its inception. Initially set for completion in 2024, the project was delayed due to the pandemic and shifting priorities. Only the first phase, including a mural, amphitheater, and musical fountain, is complete. The BMC is now appointing a contractor to develop parking spaces and public toilets.
In Phase 1, the BMC has completed several key features at the Textile Museum, including a souvenir store, five shops, restored gates and grills, an amphitheater, textile murals, a cafeteria, a ticket window, visitor seating, and a musical fountain. For Phase 2, a structural auditor was appointed to assess the building's condition, restoration needs, and costs, along with plans to convert it into a museum and library.
Recently, tenders were invited for the development of parking spaces and toilets, and further tenders will soon be issued to strengthen the building's dilapidated structure. "The project will take atleast a year to complete," said an official.
The plan to convert India United Mill 2 and 3 of 32,000 sq metre of land into a museum to showcase the history of the city's textile legacy was first mooted in 2009. Accordingly, the National Textile Corporation Limited (NTCL) handed over the mill compound to the civic body under an Integrated Development Scheme (IDS).
However, it took almost a decade to actually start the work on the project, after the approval of BMC's standing committee in 2019. The project was stuck due to the pandemic, after which it was put on hold and focus was shifted to other necessary infrastructure projects. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs. 200 crores.
