Rescued from ruins, weed and decay now devour 400-yr-old Portuguese bastion in Mumbai

An old Portuguese fort, hidden for years under debris and overgrown with weeds, has been rescued from ruin in Mumbai. The structure, located along the Eastern Freeway and overlooking Mahul creek, was discovered in 2021 by residents in Wadala who cleaned it up without knowing its history. History enthusiast Chandan Vichare helped identify the fort as a Portuguese bastion, around 400 years old.

The fort consists of a circular well-like structure and a semi-circular wall, with holes and gun slits, and is constructed with random-rubble masonry and lime-sand mortar. It also features a rectangular water storage structure, which suggests British involvement. The fort was built during the Portuguese rule (16th-17th century) and survived British rule, becoming an important defense structure that guarded Mumbai.

Despite its historical significance, the fort has largely faded from public memory and faces threats from urbanization and neglect.