Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray seeks to preserve Gilbert Hill in Mumbai

The Gilbert Hill, which is evidence of molten lava that came out of the Earth’s clefts 66 million years ago, may get a lease of life as Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has made a strong pitch for its preservation.

“In the United States, such a structure has been preserved and converted into a national monument and tourist attraction,” Thackeray said.

Located in the hustling-bustling suburbs of Andheri, this 200-feet (around 61 metres) monolith column of black basalt rock is unique in many respects. It is actually the vertical remaining face of molten lava that came out of the Earth during the Mesozoic Era. The lava covered an area of over 50,000 sq km in what is today Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

It was declared a National Park under the Forest Act in 1952, while the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai categorised it as a Grade II heritage structure in 2007.

There are two temples - a Hanuman mandir and Gaondevi Durgadevi mandir - on the top of the Hill.

There are two more similar structures on Earth, both in the United States - Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming and Devils Postpile National Monument in California.