Esplanade Mansion area barricaded by MHADA

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has barricaded the area around the 156-year-old Esplanade Mansion at Kala Ghoda to restrict entry of anyone into the iconic structure. Pedestrians can no longer use the footpath below the building too. The building, on the world's 100 most endangered monuments' list, is part of the Unesco-declared Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles inscription. BMC said it was informed by Mhada about barricading of the area. Assistant municipal commissioner (A ward) Nitin Arte said he would inspect the site to understand how to facilitate pedestrian movement. "There is a lot of traffic movement along the structure. We are yet to decide where pedestrians could walk," he said. Civic officials are also concerned about any building portion falling on the road. Mhada officials said they wanted to barricade the area as last July the balcony portion of the fourth floor crashed on the third floor and crushed a taxi below.