14 heritage structures in Mumbai to be restored

Mumbai, Feb 6 (PTI) Over a dozen heritage structuresin the city, including iconic Asiatic Library, Old CustomsHouse, Old Secretariat and Elphinstone College would havetheir original look back as Maharashtra Government is takingspecial measures for their restoration.

"We are preserving 14 heritage properties in the citywhich are in possession of the State Government. We havealloted Rs 15 crore for the restoration work," Mumbai GuardianMinister Jayant Patil has said.

The Government has so far started work on fivestructures - the Customs building, the Secretariat, theLibrary, the Institute of Science and front building of theSir J J Hospital, he said.

The work on Asiatic Library is nearing completion.

There is an urgent need to restore the 100-year-old structureswhich were never revamped in the past, the Minister said.

Along with the heritage structures, the Government isplanning to restore the Mahim and Sion forts which arehistorically important for the city and are of touristinterest, he said.

"There is a library inside the Sion fort, which needsto be maintained. In Mahim fort, about 350 families areresiding and they need to be resettled before the restorationwork start," Patil said.