A High Court bench on Thursday said that before the reconstruction of Esplanade Mansion in Kalaghoda is undertaken, it was important to find out if it was technically feasible too. The bench was handed over a letter from the Urban Development Department which recommended that the building need to be restored on priority.
Justice GS Patel said, "This property does not belong to the state, nor the BMC or MHADA. Question is who will bear the cost." The building is privately owned by one Sadik Ali Noorani. The court noted that right to property is a constitutional right, though the building is a heritage structure.
It also said that it is nowhere on record that the restoration is technically feasible and that structural consultants may be needed to assess it. Also, the cost might turn out to be too high. The court also asked who would be bearing the cost. The Grade-II UNESCO World Heritage structure had been declared unsafe by the MHADA and tenants were vacated recently after the high court order to do so. Last year, the balcony on the fourth floor of the over 150-year-old building had collapsed, crushing a taxi.