Grille for Khada Parsi

The recently restored Khada Parsi statue at Byculla is to have protective grilles built around it as it is being damaged by drug addicts and beggars in the area (see "Splendor of the statue,” Parsiana, August 7, 2014). Restored at a cost of nearly one crore rupees, the statue was opened to the public in June last year. But the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now decided to install the grilles to protect the statue which is currently shut to the public, reported Mumbai Mirror (MM) on May 27, 2015. The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has given its consent for the protective grilles which the BMC will soon start work on. There are plans to install CCTV cameras as well.

Restored fountain at base of Khada Parsi statue

"Drug addicts are a nuisance. They steal and destroy parts of the statue. The statue has a lot of delicate metal parts. The lamps are made of glass and run on gas. It is a safety issue too,” explained a BMC official to MM. The metal grille will incorporate the heritage features of the statue. "We will ensure that the grille is tall enough so people won’t jump over it. At the same time, it will not block the view of the statue and the water fountain at its base,” the official noted. The gas lanterns will be switched on as well.
"We have asked them to ensure that the grille doesn’t spoil the heritage character of the statue in any way,” an MHCC member informed MM. The BMC has also involved the local police in its efforts to protect the historic statue. "Once the grille and CCTV are installed, it will be easier to keep vandals away,” a senior inspector of police told the newspaper.
The iconic statue was installed in the 1860s in memory of Cursetjee Manockjee by his son Manockjee who founded one of the first schools for girls in Bombay, The Alexandra Girls’ English Institution, which completed 150 years in 2014. Manockjee spent Rs 20,000 on the statue, a substantial sum in those days. Built in London, the components were shipped to and assembled in Bombay. Many years later the family gifted the statue to the BMC on condition that it would be well maintained. Over the years, neglect nearly destroyed that statue, until conservation efforts were undertaken in recent years.