Mumbai's milestones

The story of Mumbai's forgotten heritage milestones

Mumbai’s old milestones are among the many victims in the city's tale of historic amnesia. “The milestones were built over two hundred years ago on the arterial roads leading south from north Mumbai,” explains historian Saleem Ahmadullah, who has done extensive research on such less celebrated aspects of the city’s historic heritage. 

These milestones today are an endangered lot - While some milestones have faded away into oblivion, others have mysteriously disappeared. There are about eight to ten existing milestones that dot the city today from Dhobi Talao to Prabhadevi.

Several years ago, the idea of relocating all the markers to a museum had been floated. “I had opposed it then, saying the milestone should be preserved ‘in situ’, in it’s original location. But seeing the way things have gone, I regret that decision,” admits Ahmadullah.

This is an excerpt from a piece originally published in The Times of South Mumbai (a publication by The Times of India)

Photo credits: acewings.tumblr.com

---