Another one bites the dust

150-year-old colonial bungalow one of only 35 left in Khotachiwadi will be razed to make way for two multi-storeyed buildings

Mumbai is all set to lose another slice of its colonial history, as Khotachiwadi in Girgaum loses its 150-year-old resident.
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And, though it is only a building of stone and mortar, its captivating Portuguese architecture and all that it represents has moved area residents and lovers of heritage buildings to stage a walk in its honour.


Tomorrow evening, nearly 300 people will pay a final tribute to Dias House at Khotachiwadi in Girgaum

Tomorrow evening, nearly 300 people will pay a final tribute to Dias House, one of only 35-odd colonial-era bungalows left in this village, which is increasingly losing its character and becoming one with the monotonous cluster of skyscrapers springing up all around it.
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Dias House will be reduced to rubble to make way for two buildings, seven-and 12-storeys high.

"The bungalow has been here for more than 100 years and it will be demolished soon. What I hear is that it is going to be done next week itself and the builder has already begun preparations for it," said James Ferreira, area resident and activist working towards saving the bungalows in the area.

The bungalow, part of the 65 which made Khotachiwadi what it is, was bought by South-Mumbai based DeeKay realtors nearly four years ago from the last tenants of the bungalow, who are now dead. "The bungalows have gone for peanuts. This one was sold for not more than Rs 2-3 crore," said Ferreira

"It is sad to see such old structures being razed down. The area is losing its character. The bungalows are not being preserved and are being replaced by skyscrapers," said Matias Echanove, a former resident of the area.

Abha Narain Lamba, conservation architect, who has worked on Khotachiwadi in the past and has chronicled certain aspects of the area said, "Special incentives to builders and no incentives to owners of private heritage structures are to blame for this. The government policies favour builders.

The Cess Reconstruction Policy of 1999, for example, allows the builder to demolish a Grade III structure and construct a multi-storeyed building with extra incentives."

Builderspeak

Dakshesh Kanakia, director, DeeKay realtors, said, "We have been in possession of the structure for the last four years. Construction of the two new buildings will begin soon."

Threatened

MiD DAY takes a look at the depleting number of heritage bungalows in the city:

Pali Hill: Of the 32 bungalows that dotted Pali Hill two years ago, only 11 remain. Of these, the owners of two homes are allegedly in talks with developers, say sources. One is the residence of late actor Sanjeev Kumar and the other belongs to Naseer Hussain. MiD DAY had reported on actor Rishi Kapoor, owner of Krishna-Raj Bungalow in the area, being in talks with a builder to sell his home to make way for a high rise.

Santacruz: Builder Yusuf Lakdawala was arrested and subsequently released on bail for allegedly threatening actress Sadhana in order to get her to vacate her ground-floor house in a two-storeyed bungalow in the area. The actress told the police that Lakdawala wanted to redevelop the property.
Other heritage bungalows in areas like Juhu, Khar, Bandra and Girgaum have also either been razed or their owners are in talks with builders to allow them to be to make way for multi-storeyed buildings

Parking woes
Peace still prevails in the area, but residents fear it could be a distant dream soon. High rises have also brought their share of parking problems.u00a0"The lanes are narrow and parking space is a big problem. The skyscrapers should have the proper infrastructure in place to support the parking needs of their occupants," said a resident.

Rs 2-3 cr
Approximate amount for which the over bungalow was sold

Slice of history
One of the oldest settlements in the city, Khotachiwadi is a small village located in Girgaum. The old bungalow-style houses are predominately adopted from the Portugese style of architecture, with heavy use of wood, open balconies and exterior staircases. The village is also known for its spices, special masalas and pickles like those made from lotus stem and prawns.