MUMBAI: Since mid-August when work on demolition of Laburnum House began, the trustees and staff of the nearby 107-year-old Mani Bhavan, have been on edge. Each time, the drilling machines and hammers strike the building, vibrations and tremors are felt inside Mahatma Gandhi's home in Mumbai, which is now a library and museum dedicated to him and a Grade I heritage structure.
In a letter to CM Eknath Shinde, with copies marked to PM Narendra Modi, the BMC chief and Mumbai police commissioner, the trustees of Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya said they are compelled to approach the chief minister as repeated complaints to the local authorities (BMC's D ward and Gamdevi police) have yielded no action.
"...When work is going on, our staff and trustees present on the premises have been experiencing persistent and severe tremors in the entire building. Other buildings in the neighbourhood too are experiencing strong vibrations, tremors and noise...," stated the letter. "This poses an irreversible danger that the structures of these buildings will suffer serious damage and their foundations will get weakened." The trustees have pointed out that the entire area - from August Kranti Maidan (Gowalia Tank) to Mani Bhavan and beyond - is a heritage precinct and yet the demolition and redevelopment has been cleared and permitted.
