Recognizing and Preserving the Historic Identity of Dadar, West
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RECOGNIZING AND PRESERVING THE HISTORIC IDENTITY OF DADAR WEST, BOMBAY: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS 67 by VINEET SHRIKANT DATE (Under the Direction of ERIC MACDONALD) ABSTRACT This thesis investigates and explains the gap observed between academic and practical application of historic preservation in Bombay City. The thesis offers a brief synopsis of the evolution of Bombay City, and documents and analyses the historic elements present within the urban section of Dadar West. The thesis also evaluates, the city’s preservation guidelines with respect to historic elements within the Dadar West study area that are missing from the city’s preservation program. This evaluation identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the city’s preservation model. The thesis concludes with recommendations for strengthening the city of Bombay’s preservation program. INDEX WORDS: BOMBAY, MUMBAI, DADAR WEST, PRESERVATION GUIDELINES, DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS GUIDELINES 67 RECOGNIZING AND PRESERVING THE HISTORIC IDENTITY OF DADAR WEST, BOMBAY: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS 67 by VINEET SHRIKANT DATE BS, MUMBAI UNIVERSITY, INDIA, 2004 MLA, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, 2012 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ATHENS, GEORGIA 2015 © 2015 VINEET SHRIKANT DATE All Rights Reserved RECOGNIZING AND PRESERVING THE HISTORIC IDENTITY OF DADAR WEST, BOMBAY: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS 67 by Vineet Shrikant Date Major Professor: Eric MacDonald Committee: Mark Reinberger Stephen Ramos Aparna Bhatte Electronic Version Approved: Julie Coffield Interim Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the college of Environment and Design (CED) at University of Georgia for providing me with the framework to carry out this research. I would also like to thank Dean Daniel Nadenicek and Dexter Adams, for without their support I would not be writing this acknowledgement. I am indebted to my thesis chair Dr. Eric MacDonald for his guidance, encouragement, and instilling a sensibility towards built environments. I would also to thank Dr. Mark Reinberger, Professor Cari Goetcheus, and Dr. Stephen Ramos for their mentorship, support, and constant guidance through my experience at the University of Georgia. Also, a special word of thanks to the staff at the library system of the University of Georgia, especially Melissa Tufts for being such a great resource. This thesis would not have seen the light of day without the tremendous assistance of my friends, as this thesis is what it is partially because of the genuine help these guys have provided me by being supportive and sharing their concerns. A special thanks to Sphongle, Astrix, Eat Static, 1200 mics, Rage Against The Machine, and other bands and musicians for making music which inspired and sustained my interest during the span of this thesis. Finally, I wish to thank my family that has been my strength and inspiration in all my endeavors, especially Aai and Tai for always being there for me; without you guys I would be nobody. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 TERMS AND TERMINOLOGIES .........................................................................4 RESEARCH GOAL.................................................................................................4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................4 RESEARCH QUESTION ........................................................................................5 DEFINING THE STUDY AREA ............................................................................5 METHODS ..............................................................................................................8 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................9 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................10 OVERVIEW: HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE CITY ............................10 OVERVIEW: HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN INDIA AND BOMBAY .........21 OVERVIEW: PRESERVATION PHILOSOPHIES .............................................24 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................27 3 THE HISTORY OF BOMBAY’S EVOLUTION .......................................................29 EVOLUTION OF THE CITY ...............................................................................29 v THE WORKS: RECLAMATION, RAILWAYS AND WATER WORKS ..........51 RECLAMATION ..................................................................................................51 ROADS AND RAILWAYS ..................................................................................52 WATER WORKS ..................................................................................................54 EFFECTS OF RECLAMATION, RAILWAYS, AND WATER WORKS ..........55 IN SEARCH OF NEW LANDS ............................................................................58 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................68 4 HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND LANDSCAPES IN DADAR WEST ........................70 REMNANTS OF THE AGRARIAN WADI LANDSCAPE ................................79 REMNANTS OF HISTORIC WATER FEATURES: VEER KOTWAL UDYAN .................................................................................................................85 KABUTARKHANA AND DR. ANTONIO DA SILVA SCHOOL .....................88 SHIVAJI PARK AND ENVIRONS ......................................................................92 RESOURCE ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT PERSONS ..............................................................................................................95 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................98 5 HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS, INDIA AND BOMBAY..................101 EXISTING HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN INDIA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................101 ROOTS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN INDIA’S COLONIAL PAST AND POST-COLONIAL MISTAKES ...............................................................102 THE PRESERVATION APPROACHES IN BOMBAY AND BRITISH COLONAL PAST ................................................................................................106 vi THE GOVERNANCE OF THE BOMBAY MEGAPOLIS ................................108 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN BOMBAY ....................................................109 HERITAGE LIST FOR DADAR WEST ............................................................112 AN ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT DADAR WEST HERITAGE LIST ................................................................................................116 RELIANCE ON ARCHITECTURE FOR GRADING .......................................118 LACK OF DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................120 LACK OF AGE CRITERIA ................................................................................120 INADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS ......................................121 INADEQUATE DEPTH OH HISTORIC RESEARCH......................................121 6 CRITIQUE OF THE PROCESS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN BOMBAY .............................................................................................................123 A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE PRESERVATION PROCESS ...............123 WHAT IS MISSING FROM THE CURRENT PRESERVATION APPROACH ........................................................................................................125 THE SHORTFALLS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN BOMBAY AND DADAR WEST ...................................................................................................126 HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL FEATURES .............................127 SITES ASSOCIATION WILL HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE ....128 UNDERAPPRECIATED VERNACULAR BUILDINGS ..................................129 SMALL-SCALE ELEMENTS ............................................................................132 CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT PARKS ...........................................................133 LACK OF AGE CRITERION .............................................................................133 vii SIGNIFICANT MODERN ARCHITECTURE ...................................................134 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................140 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION PROCESS IN BOMBAY ..........................................................................................142 CONCEPTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................147