Rs 260 crore to be spent on Crawford Market’s restoration

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will spend Rs 260 crore on second phase of Crawford Market up gradation and restoration project.

Works in the second phase include demolition of old bazar building, restoration of heritage beef market building, restoration of heritage fountain and umbrella-shape dome, construction of three storey building, landscape, parking lot, fire fighting system and solar energy system in the Crawford Market, which is also known as Mahatma Jotiba Phule Mandai.

According to civic officials, the BMC in April last year had invited tenders for the second phase works, but it didn’t get any response. The second tender invited three months later received two bids - Ms Kinjal-API-Sheth and Ms Skyway-Neev. Of them, the former was emerged as the lowest bidder with a bid of Rs 260 crore.

“The contractor has earlier successfully carried out construction works of Nurse’s Training College, Bhagwati Hospital, Borivali; Sports Complex, Dharavi and Maharashtra Judicial Academy, Meditation Centre and Training Centre, Thane,” said a senior official. The second phase project works are expected to be completed in three years.

“The project consultant Ms Abha Narain Lamba and Associates will also be paid nearly Rs 10 crore as a consultant fee,” said the official. The first phase works of repairs of L shaped one-storey building is being presently carried out by the civic building maintenance department.

“It is one of the iconic heritage structures of the city and needs to be conserved properly,” said Pramod Rane from Lower Parel.