Standing through time

By: Gem paul
May 09th, 2008
Downtown Plus

Languishing above a noisy pavement below, the Khada Parsi Statue at Byculla stands on a solitary pillar gazing away from the behemoth that has become the JJ Flyover. More than a decade back, it might have easily been the most prominent landmark in the locality.

Well, times have changed. Today, dwarfed by the flyover and lost in the commotion of rush-hour traffic, the statue has slipped into decadence. Its ornate façade is stained by pigeon droppings, pollution and on occasions used by pavement dwellers to dry their clothes.

However, residents of Byculla are willing to pitch in to save the monument and restore it to its former glory if only they got the approval of the authorities.

“We have been repeatedly asking permission from the E Ward office to let us take up the maintenance and restoration of the statue, but we are always directed to contact some other department whose permission we are told is required for adopting the structure,” says Abuzar N. Zakir, a resident of Byculla and Chairman of Concern for Mumbai, an organisation which focuses on the conservation and refurbishment of heritage structures in the city.

The organisation had earlier restored the Ollivant Bridge at Byculla and the Hancock Bridge over Sandhurst Road station.

The bronze statue built in 1860 is of Shet Cursetjee Manockjee, a philanthrophist and prominent citizen. “Sometime back, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) had plans to shift the statue to Dadar’s Five Garden area, away from the noise and pollution of Byculla, but the plan was stalled because residents objected.

“We would like to take up the restoration work and upkeep of the statue with due permission of authorities,” says Diniar Contractor, also a resident of Byculla.

When asked about the state of the statue and the permissions required by the residents to start restoration, the MCGM’s local ward office assured that it will look into the matter. “We are doing everything we can to maintain the structure.

A nuisance detector to keep the pavement dwellers away was engaged for sometime, but due to shortage of staff and lack of police cooperation we are unable to keep watch of the structure round the clock.

I would be glad if residents come forward and offer to maintain the structure, but a no objection certificate from the Heritage Committee will be required for the same,” says Prakash Patil, Assistant Commissioner of E Ward.

Patil, however was unaware of the letters that were sent to the ward office by residents seeking permissions for maintaining the structure.

The Heritage Committee however asserted that it cannot study the proposal and grant a no objection certificate unless it has been approached by the MCGM.

“Since the structure is owned and currently maintained by the MCGM, the applicant will have to route the application through the MCGM which will then forward it to the Heritage Committee. Only then can the proposal be studied by the committee,” says SP Dalvi, Deputy Municipal Architect with the Heritage Committee.

Even as the corrosive effect of pollution continues to take its toll on the statue, residents are hopeful that they get the administration’s nod soon before more damage is done.