Taraporewala Aquarium (File) The public works department (PWD) will conduct a week-long structural audit of the 70-year-old multi-storey Taraporewala Aquarium situated at Marine Drive in Mumbai, which has likely been weakened due to ongoing construction of the coastal road.
The aquarium, which is closed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, is a load-bearing structure. While tourist spots opened to the public last year, the aquarium remained shut, as the road in front of it has been dug due to work on the coastal road project. At least 2-ft road from the aquarium’s gate has been dug up and some part of the office (the aquarium also houses the office of fisheries commissioner) has been taken up by the project. Officials have said that tremors caused by the construction work have affected the structural stability of the building.
Unless found repairable, the state government is likely to order the demolition and reconstruction of the aquarium or shift it to Worli.
“In January 2020, too, a structural audit of the building was conducted and repair was suggested. However, following the coastal road construction, which included intensive drilling, a fresh audit of the entire building was suggested. After intensive drilling that has also taken our compound wall and parking of heavy machinery for the last two years, we need to see the impact on this 70-year-old load-bearing structure,” said Atul Patne, Commissioner (Fisheries).
The audit will also consider the increase in vehicle density and its impact on the building’s foundation, once the coastal road is thrown open to the public. Even if a repair is suggested, officials said that since it’s a load-bearing structure, a repair every two-three years will not be possible. Thus, reconstruction or shifting of the aquarium are feasible options.
“It is not possible to shut the aquarium and undertake repairs after every two-three years. Also, the structural audit will check if any construction work can be undertaken on the two floors above the aquarium, which is situated on the ground floor,” said an official.
Inaugurated in 1951, the Taraporewala Aquarium is one of the oldest aquariums in Mumbai. After Rs 22 crore was spent on its refurbishment, the aquarium was re-opened for visitors in March 2015 with more fish tanks and a 12-ft tunnel aquarium at the entrance. However, the new features failed to increase the footfall, as the aquarium has not added any new varieties of fish.
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