The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a major renovation project for the iconic Mumbadevi temple in the city.
Dubbed as the "dream project" of the state's Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the project was approved by Deepak Kesarkar on Friday, January 13, and has been allocated INR 20 crores for its completion.
The temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Mumbadevi, the patron goddess of the city of Mumbai, has seen better days. The creek and fort of the temple are largely deteriorated and in need of significant repairs. The renovation project aims to give the temple a new lease on life and transform it into a modern and visitor-friendly space.
As a part of the renovation plans, the temple will be modeled after the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The temple precinct will be made more visible from all sides, and efforts will be made to reduce traffic congestion in the area. Toilets and drinking water facilities will be added, and a bazaar with identical shops will be created. The temple will also make room for shops to be placed in and out of the temple, which will be designed to have a uniform design and color coding. The matter has already been discussed with the shopkeepers.
In September 2022, the Maharashtra State Human Rights' Commission (MSHRC) took action against the civic body citing that there was no room for water kiosks and washrooms because of the congestion in the temple premises.
The renovation project will also involve moving 30 licensed and 190 unlicensed hawkers from the area. Planning has been furthered to the point that even the placement of escalators, widened roads, and police patrols have been discussed. The new structure of the temple will also make room for shops to be placed in and out of the temple.
The Mumbadevi temple is one of the most iconic and historic landmarks of Mumbai, and this renovation project is a significant step in preserving its legacy and making it more accessible to visitors.
Last year on August 17, the Shree Mumbadevi Mandir Charities, managing Mumbadevi temple, had penned a two-page letter to the state Chief Minister demanding for the space located adjacent to the temple. The plot was owned by the BMC and was planned for a parking lot in the development plan of 2034. The plot had been a school, which was demolished in the year 2011.
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