Phase two of the reconstruction of South Mumbai’s famous 154-year-old Crawford Market, also known as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai, has seen the completion of two additional blocks for fish and mutton vendors. While Block 3 is devoted to fish vendors, Block 4 is dedicated to mutton vendors. A civic official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) markets department has announced that both blocks should be operating in 15 days, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Crawford Market’s Renovation Project
The project has two phases. Phase 1, which was completed in 2018, was aimed at restoring the main market building, including strengthening its structure and refurbishing interiors and exteriors. Blocks for the fruit market, kirana shops, offices, cattle and fish markets, poultry-related vendors, and mutton sellers are all part of the current plan. The plan also includes a dedicated shopping area.
Block 1’s landscaping is still unfinished, and excavation is ongoing. According to the plan, Block 1 will have fruit markets, kirana shops, and offices. Excavating into thick basalt rock is one of the many difficult tasks involved in the ₹260 crore renovation project. Under the direction of conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, half of the funds have already been used, and the project is anticipated to be finished by May 2025.
The primary objective of the Crawford Market renovation is to modernise its facilities while maintaining its historic character. An amphitheatre, a pedestrian plaza, refurbished fountains, and an acre of open space are all part of the reconstruction.
The fish merchants from the nearby Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market will move to Block 3, which also has vendors selling poultry and eggs. Archival blueprints of the original market served as the inspiration for the renovation’s design, which divided the market into divisions for meat and non-meat.
A solid waste management system, a service lift for goods, and underground parking for 150 cars are all part of the new infrastructure. During construction, temporary transit camps were established to accommodate vendors.
Built in 1869, This Is South Mumbai’s Most Famous Market
British architect William Emerson created the design for Crawford Market, which was built in 1869 by Lockwood Kipling, the father of English poet and novelist Rudyard Kipling. It combines Victorian Gothic, Norman, and Flemish architectural elements.
The market was the primary wholesale fruit market in the city of Mumbai till March 1996. It is located near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station and the Mumbai Police headquarters. The structure became the first in India to have electricity in 1882.
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Have you ever visited Mumbai’s Crawford Market?
Cover Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
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