Railways to ‘restore’ Bandra station, plans cultural hub
WR may rope in UNESCO as consultants for the project, aims at developing ‘high quality urban environment’.
Bandra station is a national rail heritage site and is recognised as a Grade I heritage building by the state (Source: Express Photo by Pradip Das )Not just the sea-side promenades, heritage gaothans and churches, Bandra will soon have a new cultural hub, the Bandra Western Railway (WR) station.
The Railways is set to restore the heritage railway station to its original form, with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as consultants for the conservation work.
A proposal to involve UNESCO was recently sent by the Mumbai division office to the general manager of Western Railway for approval.
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Bandra station is a national rail heritage site and is recognised as a Grade 1 heritage building by the state. In February, Manu Goel, executive director (heritage), Indian Railways, inspected Bandra station to draw plans for restoration work.
“On instructions of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, some Mumbai railway stations will be developed to attract tourists. Bandra station is very crucial due to its location as well as heritage value. Our vision is to restore the station to its original glory and showcase its treasured heritage assets,” said a senior official at WR.
“The idea is to develop the station as a cultural quarter, a place where commuters and visitors will engage with the space, which will have a high quality urban environment with restored buildings and landscapes, encouraging public interaction,” he added.
The canopy with Mangalore-tiled roof, the spacious layout and Grecian facade add to the charm of this railway station. Although restoration work had already been done on the station building in 2007-2008 by WR, the heritage conservation plan was not carried out after the repairs.
Conservation work would comprise replacing iron finials, decorative eaves boards, ornate teakwood trusses and tiling. Special attention is required for the diagonally-inclined tongue-and groove-boarded ceilings and water-proofing treatment to stop leakage and dampness, explained officials. At many places, decorative teakwood eaves are missing and these have been replaced with metal sheets. Painting of roof trusses and components has to be done using a proper colour scheme. The wooden flooring in attics and mezzanine floor requires repairs and polishing, added officials.
“To renovate heritage structures is not a easy job, it is a very slow process.There are very few conservation experts and sometimes, the actual material used for the original construction is not available. We have to find material closest to the original and place orders. Sometimes, the old structure is entirely damaged, and so we have to rely on archives and newspaper reports, old literature and photographs to understand the original design. In case of Bandra, we will have to find photographs dating back to 1888,” the official added.
In his inspection report dated February 23, Goel had said, “Development of Bandra station precinct will create a new image not only for the commuters, but also in the minds of the tourists who visit Bandra. The station needs to be integrated into the heritage walks and local festivals of Bandra.”
kalpana.verma@expressindia.com
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