UPSC Express

About Victorian structures and Art Deco Buildings

• The Victorian buildings are amongst the finest and most cohesive group of 19th century Victorian Gothic in the world.
• The Art Deco of the 20th century is the second largest and homogenous collections in the world.
• The eastern edge of the property is defined by Mahatma Gandhi Marg and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk within the designated historic precinct of Fort area.
• This marks the edge of the 19th century fortified city of Bombay (now Mumbai).
• Though the fort walls were mostly torn down in the 1860s under the governorship of Sir Bartle Frere, the name persists in public memory and is a protected heritage precinct under the Heritage Regulations for Greater Bombay 1995.
• The western edge of the property is defined by the Arabian sea that lines the 20th century Art Deco buildings of Backbay Reclamation and Marine Drive.
• The northern edge of the property is defined by Veer Nariman Road and the southern edge by Madame Cama Road.

The collection of buildings include:

• The row of public buildings of the High Court,
• Mumbai University,
• Old Secretariat,
• NGMA,
• Elphinstone College,
• David Sassoon Library,
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya,
• Western Railways headquarters,
• Maharashtra Police headquarters to the east of Oval Maidan
• The first row of Backbay Reclamation scheme,
• Cricket Club of India,
• Ram Mahal along Dinshaw Wacha Road,
• The iconic cinema halls of Eros and Regal
• The first row of buildings along Marine Drive.

Benefits to Mumbai

• Mumbai’s tourism and culture would be hugely benefited.
• Mumbai will be brought on the international tourist map.
• Being the financial capital of our country, Mumbai attracts many businessmen like London and some European cities. It would have the unique distinction of being both a financial capital and a world heritage site

About UNESCO

• UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization.
• It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
• UNESCO’s programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra

  1. Elephanta Caves

  2. Ellora Caves

  3. Ajanta Caves

  4. Kailasa temple, Ellora