December 12, 2025: The first phase of Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda beautification project is nearing completion, marking a major step in transforming one of the city’s most iconic cultural precincts. Spread across 3,443 sq m on Dr V. B. Gandhi Road, Rutherford Road, B. Bharucha Road, Saibaba Road and Ropewalk Lane, the work includes wider footpaths, uniform signboards, basalt-granite paving and a new public plaza at the B. Bharucha Road junction. The project cost is estimated at around Rs 10 crore.
Planned in two phases, the initiative supports the BMC’s broader vision to make the Kala Ghoda area a pedestrian-only zone during weekends. On Thursday, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani reviewed the ongoing work along with former Chief Secretary and Maharashtra Finance Commission Chairman Nitin Kareer. Officials said heavy vehicles will be restricted from entering the zone, and modern barricades will be installed on all four sides to create a safe pedestrian environment.
The upcoming plaza at the B. Bharucha Road junction is one of the key elements of Phase 1, featuring a mix of rough and black granite along with basalt flooring. Once open, it will offer seating spaces for visitors—both residents and tourists—to relax and enjoy the neighbourhood’s cafés, galleries and cultural spots.
“The iconic heritage precinct, celebrated for its museums, galleries, boutiques and cafés, will feature redesigned and widened pedestrian pathways, uniform signboards, elegant basalt and granite paving, and a striking new public plaza at the B. Bharucha Road junction once completed,” said a civic official of A Ward.
Phase 2 will see the stretch outside the former Rhythm House on K. Dubash Road redesigned as a plaza, while the road outside Jehangir Art Gallery will remain two-way. Landscaping will include Bakul, Variegated Pandanus, Heliconia psittacorum, Purple Heart and Golden Durante. Roads earmarked for upgrades—Mahatma Gandhi Road, K. Dubash Road, Nagindas Road, Chamber of Commerce Lane and Forbes Street—have already been barricaded. The annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival continues to define the cultural identity of the precinct as the transformation moves ahead.
Source: The Free Press Journal
