Can the buildings in the Taraporevala Aquarium complex on Bombay’s Marine Drive be maintained or will they need to be torn down and built afresh? That is the question before the state government, after a structural audit commissioned by them "revealed that the building has developed structural flaws,” reported the Hindustan Times (HT) on May 20, 2022. The Aquarium has not opened to the public even after the threat of coronavirus has somewhat receded. "The tremors caused by the construction of the Coastal Road also affected its structural stability,” noted HT. Access to the buildings is hampered on account of the Road construction.
Taraporevala Aquarium: developed structural flaws
The Aquarium is named after philanthropist D. B. Taraporevala who donated Rs 2,00,000 for the construction over 75 years ago (Wikipedia). The Aquarium, the office of the commissioner of fisheries and a structure that earlier had a water filtration system and canteen stand on the 4,369 sq m plot.
Officials from the fisheries development department told HT that redeveloping the complex could include a multi-storey structure with a next-generation aquarium consisting of more fish tanks, parking space, three and four dimensional shows on marine and aquatic life, space for competitions, souvenir shops, restaurant and the display of taxidermy models.
A previous global tender in 2021 for modification of the design of the Aquarium found no takers. "They were not interested in investing in a 70-year-old load-bearing structure for the next 30 years… The prospective developers felt that they could utilize only the ground floor… The locomotive density of vehicles using the Coastal Road will further hamper the strength of the foundation,” states the daily.
The government reportedly "could take a policy decision on whether the Aquarium could function (at its current location) or should be shifted to the proposed marine research center and world-class aquarium at Worli.”
In 2015 a Rs 22-crore makeover with more fish tanks and a tunnel aquarium at the entrance did not pull in more visitors. "It lacked a satisfactory visitor experience due to the lack of adequate variety of aquatic life on display… Officials said that procuring new varieties of fish was difficult due to the rules involved and the unorganized nature of the ornamental fish breeding industry,” said the write-up. F. J.