The Gateway of India, a Grade-I heritage structure and one of Mumbai’s most iconic monuments, is undergoing a Rs 7 crore conservation project. The project, which aims to restore the monument to its original glory, is expected to be completed by February 2025.
Designed by architect George Wittet, the Gateway of India is a masterpiece of Indo-Saracenic architecture, influenced by the Gujarat sultanate and Jaipur. According to city-chronicler Bharat Gothoskar, who runs Khaki Tours, “The Gateway of India is very Indic, in terms of design, despite the concept of a ceremonial arch gate being a very western concept structurally.”
The conservation project involves cleaning, consolidation, and chemical coating to ensure waterproofing. The department has already completed plaster and polymer treatment within the dome portions and removed damaged doors and window frames on the internal sections.
As part of the project, the periphery of the monument, which attracts a large crowd, will also be repaired. The department plans to carry out cleaning, raking, and pointing of the stones along the retaining wall of the Gateway along the sea-side.
The restoration project is being led by conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, who has been appointed as the principal architect on the project. According to Lambah, “The ongoing conservation work entailing cleaning and consolidation form a part of the larger project, along with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to develop the Gateway Plaza.”
Image courtesy: apnayatra.com
