MUMBAI, Aug. 18 -- The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has granted in-principle approval for a major revamp of the Regal Cinema junction in Fort, one of the city's most historically significant crossroads. The proposal, which combines traffic reorganisation, pedestrian-friendly spaces and underground parking, is aimed at decongesting the Museum Precinct while preserving its architectural character. The junction sits within the Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai-a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018-home to some of the city's most iconic buildings, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum). Regal Cinema itself, which opened in 1933 as Mumbai's first air-conditioned theatre, has long served as a cultural landmark and gateway to the precinct. At the heart of the plan is an underground parking facility that can house over 150 vehicles, topped by nearly one acre (about 4,000 square metres) of open public plaza at ground level. The surface area will feature a 360-degree viewing deck offering panoramic vistas of heritage structures such as the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Maharashtra Police headquarters, and the century-old DGP office. "The underground parking is not independent of what is happening on the surface. It is being designed in unison," said architect Pritesh Bafna of the Urban Design Architecture Initiative, the consultant for the project. "This is a holistic project addressing traffic congestion, improving the public realm, easing mobility, and providing a place for people to pause and enjoy the precinct. It also tackles the broader issue of on-street parking in this beautiful area." Currently, Regal junction has 27 traffic signals and an oval-shaped rotary with a central fountain that allows parking for only 35 cars. Access is cumbersome, and the area around the Gateway of India remains choked with on-street parking. The new design replaces the rotary with a simpler four-arm junction, supported by a modernised signal system that will streamline movement for both vehicles and pedestrians. "We are doing away with 27 signals and creating a straightforward four-arm junction. This will ease navigation for motorists and ensure safer passage for pedestrians," Bafna explained. The plan, however, comes with its challenges. Redesigning a busy and historically sensitive site meant balancing functional needs with heritage concerns. "It is a working junction, and we didn't want to exceed the right of way. As a World Heritage site, it must be accessible for pedestrians and offer opportunities to appreciate the heritage around it-from the museum to the Modern Art gallery," said Bafna. "We wanted this plaza to be experienced, like in European cities, and to enhance the experiential value of the precinct. This is about creating a positive urban space." Heritage activists have often emphasised that interventions in such precincts must not compromise architectural integrity. The MHCC, in granting its nod, attached conditions to safeguard this. The A ward office has been instructed to integrate the project within the larger precinct development plan, and the committee has made it clear that the public plaza must remain accessible and that all parking facilities must remain entirely underground. Former corporator Makarand Narwekar has called for quick implementation of the plan. In a letter to civic chief Bhushan Gagrani, Narwekar wrote, "There is an urgent need to act on MHCC's recommendations and execute the project without further delay in the larger public interest." He argued that the project is vital for easing tourist movement and pedestrian flow in Fort. "The proposed underground facility would triple parking capacity and significantly reduce surface-level congestion," Narwekar noted. "This project is critical to freeing up space for pedestrians and tourists, while addressing vehicular needs underground." Narwekar also questioned the prolonged delay in execution. The proposal, first floated years ago, had envisioned a similar underground parking facility with a public viewing deck. "The delay has only added to the pressure on the precinct, which continues to grapple with bottlenecks, poor pedestrian facilities and haphazard on-street parking," he said. The MHCC's approval followed a detailed presentation that incorporated suggestions made at earlier stages. Representatives from the A ward office, traffic police, and project architects were all present at the most recent meeting, where revised plans-including the simplified traffic layout-were tabled. After deliberation, the committee approved the proposal subject to modifications. A revised plan reflecting its conditions must be submitted before a final No Objection Certificate (NOC) is issued....