Banganga Tank Restoration: BMC Approves Bund Wall And Gate Valve Installation

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a Rs 2.5-crore project to construct a gabion wall, or bund wall, along the seashore near Ram Kund tank in Banganga, according to Hindustan Times (HT) report. This initiative is part of the tank's rejuvenation plan, aimed at preventing the entry of seawater and debris. Additionally, a gate valve will be installed to regulate water flow within the tank.

The revival project seeks to provide an alternative for the ash-immersion ritual, 'Asti Visarjan,' which devotees currently perform at the Banganga tank. Local resident Ashish Tewari, a member of the Banganga Citizens' Committee, explained in the report that Ram Kund's original sweet water source, the Gaumukh inlet, is blocked with debris. He proposed during a recent meeting with the BMC that ashes could once again be immersed at Ram Kund, which has already been de-silted.

"The BMC assured us that the bund wall will prevent debris from entering Ram Kund," said Tewari in the same report.

A civic official from D ward highlighted the current issues caused by seawater flowing into Ram Kund, leading to the accumulation of garbage during high and low tides. "Isolating the structure with a bund wall is necessary," he added to the HT report, noting that the state government will oversee the work.

Progress On Banganga Tank Restoration

The heritage restoration of Banganga Tank is already underway. The project, assigned to a heritage-empanelled vendor, includes various developments outlined during a meeting on December 5.

1. Desilting Work: The tender for appointing a contractor has been completed, and a purchase order will soon be issued. This work will be carried out under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and a project management consultant.

2. Gate Valve Installation: A proposal has been sent to state archaeology officials for approval. Once cleared, the tender for the installation will be floated following their guidelines.

3. Heritage Precinct Rejuvenation: The tender process for restoring the Banganga precinct area is nearing completion and will conclude within a few days.

To ensure quality and compliance, an architect or supervisory personnel will oversee the restoration, in coordination with a project management consultant. Since Banganga is a heritage site, only heritage-empanelled vendors are eligible for the work, while local residents will be actively involved in monitoring non-heritage projects.

Additional Developments

As per residents' suggestions, a toilet repair project and the installation of a changing room on-site will soon begin. There are also plans to introduce a composting initiative for flowers at a hawker-encroached area near Banganga.

The restoration of Banganga is a significant step towards preserving Mumbai's cultural and historical heritage while addressing the practical needs of the community.