Sprawled over an area of 44,000 square metre within the compound of the India United Mill No. 2 and 3 at Kalachowki, the civic body in 2019 charted plans to redevelop the space as a textile museum. (File photo)The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plans to rope in an external agency to restore the old mill structures and develop a textile museum at Kalachowki in Byculla East has drawn feeble responses from eligible parties, nudging the civic body on Wednesday to extend the deadline on its Expression of Interest (EOI) by 15 days to August 13.Earlier on July 3, the BMC’s heritage conservation cell department floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting eligible and reputed public companies, charitable trusts or society to develop the textile museum. According to officials, the scope of work for the agency will include the redevelopment of the old structures earmarked for restoration as well as overlooking its operation and maintenance over the next 20 years.Estimated at a cost of between Rs 80 and 100 crore, the entire project cost will be borne by ‘a reputed company or charitable trust or society’ who can invest through their CSR model.However, civic officials said the project EOI has presently received response from only one external agency. Owing to insufficient response, the BMC has revised its EOI deadline upto August 13, in a corrigendum issued Wednesday.As per the initial tender, the deadline was expected to close for bidders on July 28. Sprawled over an area of 44,000 square metre within the compound of the India United Mill No. 2 and 3 at Kalachowki, the civic body in 2019 charted plans to redevelop the space as a textile museum. The project aimed at restoring the old mill buildings–whose history dates back as early as 1869–into a textile museum while also developing recreational spaces within the compound with the aim of educating the citizens about Mumbai’s rich industrial history.So far, the BMC has launched work on the establishment of a musical fountain over a pond, murals, amphitheatre among other recreational spaces within the compound of the mill. With the first phase of works nearing completing, the civic body has now taken up the cudgels to restore the old, dilapidated structures into a museum.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd