Cracks visible on the heritage wall near Gateway of India following jetty construction drilling work in Colaba | File Photo
Mumbai: The residents of Colaba and Cuffe Parade have alleged that the heritage wall near the Gateway of India has suffered massive cracks following the drilling work for the construction of the jetty by the Maharashtra Maritime Board. Following the cracks, the residents have demanded a structural audit of the nearby buildings and installation of vibration monitors.
Ever since the fisheries and port development minister Nitesh Rane laid the foundation stone for the construction of a VIP jetty near the Gateway of India in March, residents have been opposing the project. While two separate residents’ groups have already moved the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court against the proposed jetty, the construction work continues full fledged.
In the early hours of Friday, the construction work was stopped by the police after residents living near the Gateway of India complained about disturbance due to drilling noise at the site. However, the residents alleged on Friday that the heritage wall around the Gateway Of India has suffered massive damage due to the drilling work carried out by MMB.
Cracks visible on the heritage wall near Gateway of India following jetty construction drilling work in Colaba | File Photo
Vandana Kripalani, a resident of Colaba, said, “This morning, the boundary wall directly opposite our house has visibly cracked, and signs of foundational shifting and micro-cracking are now evident across nearby parapets. These are early warning indicators of foundational stress, likely resulting from high-frequency vibrations, unmitigated pile-driving activity, and soil destabilisation commonly associated with waterfront infrastructure development.”
The residents have requested a full structural safety audit conducted independently across the affected buildings, immediate cessation of high-vibration construction activity until the audit confirms safety, public disclosure of environmental and structural impact assessments conducted before the commencement of the jetty construction and installation of vibration monitoring instruments and real-time reporting shared with the residents.
Laura D’Souza, president of Cuffe Parade Residents’ Association, said, “Damage is damage, no matter how you spin it. Chunks of the wall falling apart is not just a crack, it’s a clear breach of the court’s order. The government’s haste to push through this project is not just reckless, it’s also a blatant disregard for citizen concerns.”
“They think the law doesn’t apply to them. The drilling machines kept us awake all night, disturbing senior citizens and everyone else. The police intervened and stopped the work, but they just resumed, showing utter disregard for human life, sanity, and peace. How are we to survive 30 months of this?” said another resident who requested anonymity.
