Mumbai: This year’s yearly celebration on St. Stephen’s Steps in Bandra has been postponed as the police have not yet given their approval. The neighborhood’s inhabitants have protested to the organizers about the activities’ noise levels.
Once upon a time, the five-story building, a 100-meter-wide flight of stairs led to a steep road. Before it was renovated and turned into an award-winning public space, it had degenerated into a rubbish-strewn area. Since 2019, the location has played home to an art and cultural event.
Information about the celebration and the wait
The festival’s organizer, Anca Abraham, said that it was slated to begin on December 9 and run until the first weekend of February 2024. After learning that members of a resident’s organization had voiced concerns about the event’s loudness and crowds, the festival organizers met with the police and locals on December 10.
“Over the years, the BMC and the police have supported the festival.” We anticipated receiving permits after the meeting. Abraham, whose design company Abraham John Architects and Bombay Greenways had rebuilt the stairs and transformed it into a cultural area, said, “For some reason, they are delaying the permissions for the festival.”
Bandra local Lilian Pais stated that residents of the buildings around the stairs had complained in writing to the police about the noise caused by the festivities. “There used to be an issue with guys utilizing the stairs to consume alcohol on occasion before they were rebuilt, but nowadays the area is utilized for loud occasions like birthday celebrations. The festival’s organizers don’t reside in this area. Residents must recognize their decision to decline the event, according to Pais.
“Celebration at the Steps”
1880 square meters are covered by the stairs, which are 12 meters wide. The event, known as the “Festival at the Steps,” happens on weekends in December and February. The event includes dances, music, and picture and art exhibits, among other things.
Abraham said, “This is a place-making endeavor centered on and celebrating a reimagined public space that belongs to all of us; it’s not simply another event. It serves as a venue for gifted individuals with similar interests to gather and showcase their abilities.
There are alternative locations in Bandra where the festival might be held, according to those who are against the festivities on the stairs. One of the residents remarked, “They want to do it right here in the middle of a residential area, but the promenade is available for such events.” There was no one to speak on behalf of the local police.
The Steps of St. Stephen
Dr. P. Dias Road and Mount Mary Road were connected by a steep road that had been replaced by the stairs, which were now abandoned and littered with rubbish. The local municipal councilor and the BMC’s local ward office assisted in the site’s restoration. The location was converted into a multipurpose public area including barrier-free access and landscaping features.
The Environmental Design Research Association and Initiative for Public Spaces arranged the worldwide competition Great Places Awards 2021, where the initiative took home the “Place Design Award.” The Indian Institute of Architects awarded the site the title of “Best Landscape Design.”
