Dadabhai Naoroji Road
Dadabhai Naoroji Road | |
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Sir Bartle Frere |
Dadabhai Naoroji Road (D.N.Road), a North–South commercial artery road, in the Fort business district in
D.N.Road, a simple street within the Mumbai Fort, it was broadened into an avenue in the 1860s.[1]
With the objective of protecting the 19th century streetscape, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) launched a conservation project titled "Dadabhai Naoroji Road Heritage Streetscape Project" and implemented it successfully for which the MMRDA received the prestigious "UNESCO's Asia–Pacific Heritage Award of Merit", in the year 2004.[2]
History
The history of
The eponymous Dadabhai Naoroji Road, the heritage road of Mumbai, is named after
His statue (made of black
Heritage buildings along the road
Apart from the Mahatma Phule Market at the northern end and the Hutatma Chowk with Dadabhai Naoroji's statue overlooking the fountain at its southern end, the "Mile Long" street displays the following famous heritage buildings:
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, designed by Frederick William Stevens. The Terminus connects with the
The Municipal Corporation headquarters or the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Building (BMC) was designed as V–shaped structure in the Gothic Revival style of architecture by the architect F W Stevens and built in 1893. Notable features of the building are its 255 ft (77.7 m) tall tower with the central dome, rising to a height of 71.5 m (234.6 ft).[15]
Times of India building, founded as "The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce" in 1838 is located opposite to the Victoria Terminus, a heritage structure which houses offices of the
Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art (J.J.School of Art), established in 1857 is the oldest art institution in India and as a university awards bachelor's degree in fine art and culture and master's degree in
The J. N. Petit Library is at a vantage location at the corner plot at the junction of D.N. Road, P.M. Road and Napier Road. The building is named after its donor Sir Jamshetjee Nesserwanjee Petit and it was designed by architect Merwanjee Bana and built in 1898. It has undergone renovation in recent years with funds donated by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust to the library.[19]
Vatcha Agiary,
The road is also a veritable sprawling city hub which is lined by banks, book, shoe and clothes shops in the city's stock market district and commercial Fort area.[7]
Streetscape project
Under the Heritage Regulations of Greater Bombay Act 1995, D.N.Road, considered to be of immense value as a historic urban streetscape, has been designated as a Grade I1 heritage streetscape. But the hectic commercial activities and the large sized signboards in the heritage road (had become a metaphor for urban chaos) caused serious concern to the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority and public spirited people of the area. The striking colonial facades became completely obscured by free for all signages such as billboards, signboards and other forms of advertisement, which left much to be desired. The ambiance of the historic streetscape was also marred by the asynchronous street furniture, road dividers, benches and other public amenities. This necessitated launching of a conservation project titled "Dadabhai Naoroji Road Heritage Streetscape Project", by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority with the objective of protecting the 19th century streetscape for
restoring the architectural integrity of the street with the regulation of the signboards and the inclusion of street furniture that complemented the neo–classical architecture
- Conservation methods
To facilitate conservation activities on the Mumbai's heritage sites, a trust called the MMR Heritage Conservation Society was instituted to provide grants and funding for documentation and research studies. In the first phase of the project, Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority prepared the first urban conservation guidelines in India. This was done by the appointed architect Abha Narain Lambah assisted by a team of nine architects and undergraduate students who documented this phenomenal streetscape, which resulted, at the end of nine months of studies in 1998, in a document titled "Design Handbook for a Heritage Streetscape: Guidelines for Signage and Street furniture for Dadabhai Naoroji Road". In the absence of any records of architectural elevations or drawings of the facades in the street, the document was prepared with the following information.[1][2]
- Door to door documentation was done of every building on D.N. Road – mapping elevations, surveying land records, generating data on occupants, owners, type of business and commercial establishments, existing signboards, shop fronts, hawkers and all such information considered relevant to the restoration work.
- Provides urban guidelines for signage and shop fronts through the street.
- Each building's elevation with the exact location and number of signs existing at the time was noted.
- Provides plans for relocation of the signages with modified designs without altering the exhibited shop sign (text) in the ground floor of each shop and its dimensions (area) ensuring free view of the architectural details such as cornices, keystones and pilasters, and that the architectural quality of the building was not compromised.
- To enhance the quality of the streetscape, elaborate schemes for the installation of heritage sensitive street furniture such as bins, information signs, bus stops and railingswere drawn.
- Public participatory approach to conservation
In May 2001, at the initiative of the architect of the project, the local shopkeepers, occupants and commercial establishments in the street and the local municipal officer implemented, voluntarily, the regulation of the shop fronts and signage; the expenses for relocation and redesign of the shop signs were borne by each individual establishment. A local news paper facilitated design, fabrication and installation of the cast iron street furniture along the buildings, in a 100 m (328.1 ft) stretch. Transparent community involvement was a key element in the success of this endeavour.[2]
- Heritage Mile Association
A citizen's association (of the various occupants, owners, corporate establishments and shopkeepers on Dadabhai Naoroji Road) called "The Heritage Mile Association" was the outcome of the success of the initial pilot project. Set up as a non–profit group, the association's objectives are to restore the heritage character of Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Road through public participation and private sponsorship. The achievements of the association, since its inception, are:
- Funds have been raised through local stakeholders and shopkeepers to implement street furniture through another 500 m (1,640.4 ft) stretch of the road
- More people and establishments continue to commit their financial and volunteer support to the initiative.
- Members meet every Monday to jointly discuss initiatives for the improvements
- 24x7 security, maintenance and cleaning of the area have been ensured
- An all round sense of ownership among the local shopkeepers and other stakeholders prevails
A few individual owners of buildings initiated restoration works which included removal of the air–conditioning units that were incongruent with the colonial façade.
- Achievement award
The project’s success has generated widespread appreciation of the aesthetic, social and commercial values which have resulted from the preservation of the street’s historic character. Through its influence on urban policy and contribution to the commercial vitality of the neighbourhood, this project sets the standard for future urban streetscape revitalisation throughout India. The first of its kind in India, this ambitious streetscape project has revived the historic ambience of Dadabhai Naoroji Road of Mumbai through the restoration of shop fronts, signage and street furniture to reflect the area’s Victorian Era commercial heritage.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Heritage streetscape". Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Dadabhai Naoroji Road Heritage Streetscape Project, India". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Churchgate – Station: Encyclopedia II – Churchgate – Station". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Mumbai Ready Reckoner". Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
- ^ "Mumbai Fort". Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Heritage walk from Flora Fountain". Mumbai Ready Reckoner. Retrieved 11 March 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c "Stalwarts of Our Past: Dadabhai Naoroji". Parsi Khabar, Parsis: The Zoroastrians Of India. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ a b "A Walk Down Dadabhai Naoroji's Road". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2003. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Naoroji, Dadabhai". Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011.
- ^ "A Walk Down Dadabhai Naoroji's Road". 3 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2003. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (India),No 945 rev" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Victoria Terminus". Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Chatrapathi Shivaji Station, World Heritage Site". Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Crawford Market". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Municipal Corporation Building". Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "The Times of India Building, Bombay". Images of Asia. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Times of India building, Bombay". Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Sir J.J. College of Architecture". University of Mumbai. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "J.N.Petit Library, Mumbai". Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
- ^ "Mumbai Attractions". Retrieved 14 March 2009.