BMC Floats Fresh Tender For Phase 2 Of Mumbai's Textile Museum Project At Kala Chowki

The BMC on Thursday floated a tender to appoint a contractor for Phase 2 of its long-awaited 'Textile Museum' project. The upcoming phase will include the development of dedicated parking spaces, modern public restrooms, and a security cabin at the India United Mills compound in Kala Chowki, the site of the museum. After years of delays due to administrative and logistical challenges, the museum is now expected to be completed by next year.

A 44,000-square-metre area within the India United Mills premises at Kala Chowki has been earmarked for a "Recreation Ground-cum-Textile Museum." First conceptualised in 2009, the project aims to honour Mumbai’s once-thriving textile industry and the historic mills central to its working-class heritage. The proposal to convert Mills No. 2 and 3 into a museum was formalised after the National Textile Corporation transferred the land to the BMC under the Integrated Development Scheme. Although approved in 2019, the project faced setbacks due to the pandemic and shifting civic priorities.

In Phase 1, the BMC completed several key features at the Textile Museum, including a souvenir store, five retail shops, restored gates and grills, an amphitheater, textile murals, a cafeteria, a ticket window, visitor seating, and a musical fountain. For Phase 2, a structural auditor has been appointed to assess the building’s condition, determine restoration requirements, and estimate associated costs, as part of plans to transform the site into a museum, library, auditorium, art exhibition space, and public plaza. The overall estimated cost of the project is around Rs. 200 crore, with an initial expectation for completion in 2024.

Failing to receive sufficient responses, the BMC has re-tendered the construction of parking spaces, public restrooms, and a security cabin under Phase 2 of the project. The estimated cost for these works is approximately Rs. 2 crore, with a contract period of eight months for completion. "A designated space has been selected for parking vehicles, with provisions for 30 cars and an equal number of two-wheelers. The museum will also feature various facilities, including a musical fountain, with with two half-hour shows scheduled daily. An entry fee will be charged for these shows," said a civic official.