Presentation by:

Vaishnavi C. Kamble | 16
• The Gateway of India is an arch monument
built during the 20th century in Bombay,
• India. The monument was erected to
commemorate the landing of King George
V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on
their visit to India in 1911.
• The Gateway of India is located on the
waterfront at Apollo Bunder area at the end
of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg in South
Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea.
• The monument has also been referred to as
the Taj Mahal of Mumbai, and is the city’s
top tourist attraction.
The Gateway of India was built in honor of
King George V and Queen Mary for their
visit to Bombay (now called Mumbai) in
December 1911. But by the time they
arrived; only the foundation stone had been
laid down, and all they got to see was the
cardboard model. The final design plans
were sanctioned only in 1914 and the
construction was completed in 1924.
• March 1911: Foundation stone laid down
by Sir George Sydenham Clarke, the
Governor of Bombay
• March 31, 1914: Scottish architect
George Wittet’s final design sanctioned
• 1915 – 1919: Apollo Bunder land
reclaimed for the gateway
• 1920: Foundations completed
• December 4, 1924: Gateway finally
inaugurated by the Earl of Reading
The first key event that took place at the
Gateway of India was when the First
Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry
marched through, which marked the end
of the British Raj in India.
• Originally built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to the city in 1911, The Gateway of India was a symbol of the British Empire in
India. Completed in 1924, it has since borne witness to almost a century of development in Mumbai,
• From its location immediately adjacent to the five-star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the first building in the country to receive intellectual property rights protection
for its architectural design. The monument is now a reminder of the city’s rich colonial history as Bombay, and is the unofficial icon of the city.
22.5 KM away from Chhatrapati Shivaji 1.8 KM away from Churchgate station Buses:
Maharaj International Airport 2.3 KM away from Chhatrapati Shivaji • Colaba bus stop
Maharaj Terminus • Gateway of India
• Lion gate
• Dr. Shyaama Prasad Mukherjee Chowk
• The architect, George Wittet, designed the Gateway of India in the
Indo-Saracenic style. It is a fusion of Hindu and Muslim architectural
styles. The grand arch is designed in the Muslim style. The central
dome is about 48 feet in diameter and 83 feet high at its highest
point. Yellow basalt and reinforced concrete were used to build the
structure.
• Although the gateway was built in honor of the British, the Rs 2
million cost of construction was borne by the Imperial Government
of India.
• The structural design of the Gateway of India is constituted of a
large arch, with a height of 26m. The monument is built in yellow
basalt and indissoluble concrete. The structural plan of Gateway of
India is designed in the Indo-Saracenic style.
• One can also find traces of Muslim architectural styles incorporated
in the structure of the grandiose edifice. The central dome of the
monument is about 48 feet in diameter, with a total height of 83
feet.
• Designed with intricate latticework, the 4 turrets are the prominent
features of the entire structure of the Gateway of India. There are
steps constructed behind the arch of the Gateway that leads to the
Arabian Sea.
• The monument is structured in such a way that one can witness the
large expanse of the 'blue blanket' right ahead, welcoming and
sending off ships and visitors.
• The gateway stands at an angle, opposite to the Taj
Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, which was built in
1903
• In the grounds of the gateway, opposite the
monument, stands the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj.
• The other statue in the locality of the gateway is that
of Swami Vivekananda
• There are five jetties located around the monument
• The first jetty is exclusive to the Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre, while the second and third are
used for commercial ferry operations, the fourth
one is closed, and the fifth is exclusive to the Royal
Bombay Yacht Club.
• The second and third jetties are the starting point
for tourists to reach the Elephanta Caves, which are
fifty minutes away by boat from the monument.
• Other routes from the gateway include ferry rides
to Rewas, Mandwa, and Alibaug,
• While cruises also operate from the gateway these
ferries reportedly carry an overload of daily
passengers.
• The Mumbai Port Trust licenses vessels to use the
gateway while the Maharashtra Maritime Board
issues fitness certificates to them.
• The Rs5-crore restoration plan for the Gateway of India precinct has finally kicked off with the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inviting tenders to develop the area around the
Grade I heritage monument. With tenders already under process, the work is likely to begin
by the first week of December and authorities are hopeful to complete it in six months.
• The plan, prepared by the Indian National Trust For Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH),
aims not just to restore the “iconic” heritage of the monument but define it too. All the utilities
spread in the area will be brought under one roof with the establishment of an integrated
service center just behind the Wittet fountain, as per the plan. “This center will house the
ticketing counter, police, civic services, washrooms etc. This facility will be covered by a two-
feet construction made of Malad yellow stone to avoid visual clutter from the Gateway side,”
said Manu Srivastava, additional municipal commissioner (city).
• An area at the right turn will act as a car drop to avoid traffic congestion, while a taxi stand is
planned opposite Taj Mahal hotel. Reducing the garden space along with removal of the two
existing toilet blocks will increase the plaza space. The BMC’s planned underground parking
facility near Regal cinema would solve the parking problem, added Srivastava. “The idea is to
de-clutter the plaza.
• The Wittet Fountain will be restored to its original glory and old trees protected for green
cover,” explained architect PK Das, who has designed the plan. With the entire boundary of
the garden containing the Shivaji Maharaj statue and Wittet Fountain designed to ensure
public seating, the precinct offers the opportunity to the visitor to sit and view the monument.
• https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-restoration-plan-for-gateway-gets-going-1066564
• https://www.mumbailive.com/en/civic/bmc-presents-gateway-of-india-restoration-plan-to-tourism-minister-aaditya-thackeray-61703
• https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/mumbais-iconic-gateway-of-india-to-be-restored-and-beautified/1480340/
• https://www.alamy.com/gateway-of-india-mumbai-bombay-maharashtra-india-image228869610.html
• https://www.google.com/search?q=shivaji+maharaj+gateway+of+india&oq=shivaji+maharaj+gateway+of+india&aqs=edge..69i57j69i60l3.10020j0j4&sourceid=c
hrome&ie=UTF-8
• https://yehaindia.com/the-gateway-of-india-then-and-
now/#:~:text=Following%20the%20India%27s%20independence%20and,on%2028th%20February%2C%201948.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_of_India#Design_and_architecture
• https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/gateway-of-india-cyark/WQKi8-mgUt3wKQ?hl=en
• https://www.google.com/search?q=gateway+of+india+and+taj+hotel&oq=gateway+of+india+and+taj&aqs=edge.0.0j69i57j0i22i30l2.8065j0j4&sourceid=chro
me&ie=UTF-8
• https://www.mumbai.org.uk/gate-way-of-india.html
• https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/gateway-of-india-the-taj-mahal-of-mumbai/
• https://mumbaitourism.travel/images/places-to-visit/headers/gateway-of-india-mumbai-indian-tourism-entry-fee-timings-holidays-reviews-header.jpg
• https://assets-news.housing.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/23070252/Maharashtra-government-to-beautify-Gateway-of-India-FB-1200x628-
compressed-764x400.jpg
• https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/fresh-perspectives/a603-the-rich-architectural-heritage-of-mumbai/
• https://worldheritagejourney.com/world-heritage-sites-of-mumbai/
• https://mumbaicity.gov.in/tourism/culture-heritage/
Presentation by:
Vaishnavi C. Kamble | 16