Mumbai: The state fisheries department’s headquarters, housed in the iconic Taraporewala Aquarium on Marine Drive for over 70 years, has been relocated to Mittal Tower in Nariman Point, opposite Mantralaya. Speculation is rife that the move is prompted by concerns about the structural integrity of the Taraporewala Aquarium, potentially weakened by the ongoing Coastal Road project.
According to statements from two executive engineers within the fisheries department and a senior official from the state animal husbandry ministry, the Taraporewala Aquarium is deemed unsafe for habitation. The move signals a departure from any plans to utilize the building for tourism or administrative purposes in the foreseeable future.
Sources suggest that while the Coastal Road project’s construction work may have contributed to the structural concerns, the anticipated heavy vehicular movement upon the road’s completion later this year is seen as a potential threat to the building’s stability.
This development follows closely on the heels of the Taraporewala Aquarium’s reopening in 2015 after a two-year hiatus and a substantial ₹22 crore renovation. The facility has remained closed to the public since the Covid-induced lockdown in March 2020.
An anonymous senior official from the animal husbandry ministry revealed, “The Public Works Department (PWD) recently conducted a structural audit, determining that Taraporewala Aquarium is unsuitable for habitation. The state cabinet must decide its fate, and as of now, no policy decision has been made regarding whether it will be demolished or restored. The relocation of the fisheries department to Nariman Point prioritizes the safety of the staff.”
While declining to comment on whether the Coastal Road project directly impacted the building’s stability, the official emphasized that the structural audit results prompted the relocation for safety reasons.
The Taraporewala Aquarium, inaugurated in 1951 and named after philanthropist D.B. Taraporewala, is owned by the fisheries department. In an effort to revitalize the site, the department had previously floated a global tender seeking partnerships for redesign and maintenance on a public-private-partnership model. However, this initiative has been on hold since the tender failed to attract any bids.
An executive engineer with the fisheries department, preferring anonymity, stated, “We have been operating from Mittal Tower since July 8. The timeline for our return to Marine Drive remains uncertain. While I haven’t seen the structural audit report, vibrations from the Coastal Road work were noticeable in the commissioner’s building behind the aquarium. Staff has been informed that the building is unsafe, necessitating the move.
Source : Hindustan Times