Just Before Its 100th Birthday, Mumbai's Historic Jimmy Boy Cafe Closes Amid Safety Concerns

Mumbai's iconic Parsi cafe, Jimmy Boy, near the Horniman Circle at Fort, has shut its operations due to the dilapidated condition of the Vikas Building, where it is housed, just before it was supposed to celebrate the completion of 100 years of its operations in September.

The cafe is located in a cosy corner of Fort and is known for its Pallonji's, berry pulao, dhansak, kheema pav and more.

The eatery was forced to shut shop after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared the building housing it—Vikas Premises Co-op. Society Ltd.—dangerous and at risk of collapse.

A formal notice issued on June 21, 2025, by the Assistant Engineer of BMC’s ‘A’ Ward, under Sec 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, directs the owners and occupiers to immediately vacate and demolish the four-storey building located on Green Street, Fort.

This action comes after a call to the BMC disaster control cell on the evening of June 20, reporting that the structure was in a dangerous condition and likely to fall.

BMC officials, along with the Mumbai Fire Brigade and local police, rushed to the site and observed major vertical cracks in the building’s east side wall, which is closely located next to the adjoining Green House building.

The fire department evacuated the entire building and put up warning posters declaring the premises unsafe. Barricades were also set up around the building to restrict access and prevent accidents.

The society’s structural consultant, M/s. Mahimtura Consultants Pvt. Ltd., arrived at the site later that evening and confirmed that the building had significantly deteriorated. According to the consultant, load-bearing walls, columns, beams, and slabs were severely damaged due to corrosion and age-related wear and tear.

The firm had previously submitted a structural audit report about a year ago, recommending urgent repairs—none of which had been carried out by the society.

In the latest assessment, Mahimtura Consultants categorised the building under the most dangerous grade. This indicated that it was unfit for habitation and required immediate evacuation and demolition.

The BMC notice has given the society seven days to comply, warning that failure to do so will result in the civic body carrying out the demolition and recovering the costs from the owners. The notice also outlines legal penalties under sections 489, 491, and 475 of the MMC Act if the directions are not followed.

The civic body has directed that the demolition work will be carried out under the supervision of a registered structural engineer and with adequate safety and barricading to protect nearby residents and passers-by.

If the building falls under heritage regulations, a No Objection Certificate must be secured from the Heritage Department before any demolition activity begins.