Mumbai has a plethora of iconic spots, but one of the most historic spots of Mumbai is undoubtedly the Gateway of India. On December 4, the Western Naval Command exhibited the largest Indian national flag in the world at the Naval Dockyard overlooking the majestic gate. On this day in 1971, Operation Trident was launched by the Indian Navy. Under the operation,the navy sank two Pakistani ships off the Karachi coast. The Khadi and Village Industries and Commission conceptualised the 225 feet long and 150 feet wide flag.
Gateway Of India To Soon Get A New Look; Revamp Underway By Maha Govt
The Maharashtra government is planning to revamp Gateway, in its up-gradation and renovation plan. The state is looking to give an introduction to the financial capital of the country at the site. The government has gotten conservation architect Abha Lambah, who has prepared three proposals for the revamp. In terms of revamping, it will include the integration of the monument’s conservation, facilities for tourists, crowd management and security up-gradation.
Gateway of India is one of the most visited monuments in Mumbai, yet there’s no proper infrastructure for site management or facilities for visitors. Speaking to a leading daily, Lambah said,
“The design has been made to integrate all the requirements, such as creating right facilities and infrastructure while ensuring visual access to visitors so that they can see the Gateway of India, the sea and will get a chance to see the imposing statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which is currently lost in all the visual clutter. The revamp will give a kind of introduction to the city and to Maharashtra. The plan also incorporated the security and risk assessment. In all, it is an endeavour to look holistically to all the concerns.”
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The State Government Has Set Up A Committee To Work On The Project
The maintenance of the site is divided between several agencies. The structure and the 100-metre area near it come under the state archaeological department, while the jetty and boating area is under the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT). The area outside it falls under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
To deal with the issues, the state government has constituted a committee of senior officials from the BMC, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the state archaeological department, MbPT and the police department. The head of the committee will be Valsa Nair Singh, principal secretary, state tourism department. Singh will help to finalise the model and help in executing the revamp plan.
On the project, Singh said,
“We will conduct a proper up-gradation and renovation of the whole Gateway of India area. The committee has been formed because there are so many agencies involved in it, thus a centralised approach was needed. It is more like an executive committee in which everyone has to pool in their resources. It will approve the plan, and all the agencies will then execute the part that falls under their jurisdiction.”
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Gateway Of India To Also Get A Light And Sound Show
The tourism department is not only planning to revamp the site but is also planning to arrange for a sound and light show at the site. The whole idea of revamping Gateway of India came into play after state tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray met with deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar in February. In the meeting, they discussed the development and conservation of 22 tourist sites, including the Gateway of India. The finance minister had also assured requisite funds for the development and maintenance of these sites. The MMB has said it will start the tendering process for the ₹100-crore project soon.