city anchor: Student team gives crumbling city forts a second chance

Mumbai's coastal forts in dire need of conservation now have a helping hand. A group of college students, who call themselves the 'Green Voyagers', are raising awareness on coastal forts and the need for their conservation.

In March 2011 Dr Louisa Rodrigues, environmental historian and history professor at Ramnarian Ruia College, Matunga, decided to start a conservation project in the city. "After I submitted my thesis on 'Forestry Conservancy in Western India' at the Mumbai University, I wanted to do something practical. I wanted to mix heritage and conservation. I asked the college students if they were interested," said Rodrigues.

Summer vacation arrived with some promise. Eleven enthusiastic students formed the Green Voyagers, a team dedicated to raising awareness on forts that pepper the city's coastline.

"At first we didn't know what topic to pick up, so we began researching and pitching ideas. We chanced upon the idea of researching on the coastal forts of the city," said Utkarsha Dandavate (20), a member of the Voyagers' team.

The group focuses mainly on forts in the island city, and those nearby. They researched for nine months, visited the forts and interviewed archaeologists, conservationists and historians. Their research covered the Bombay Fort at the southernmost tip of the city, the Bombay Castle in Naval Dockyard area, Sewri Fort, Mahim Fort, Dharavi Fort and Bandra and Worli Forts.

"Except for Bombay Fort in South Mumbai, where the British actually housed residences and administrative offices, the other 10 forts mainly functioned as watch towers. It's amazing to see how rulers built 11 forts for a city of seven islands. It literally shows us how Bombay evolved into this great financial hub over the years," said Ashwini Maslekar (20), an economics student.

"The college principal supported the mission to sensitise the city. Initially, when we approached various organisations for funding, nobody was interested because it's hard to get people to take students seriously. Finally, early this year, Observer Researcher Foundation (ORF) agreed," said Rodrigues.

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