Mumbai: Byculla station set to get its heritage face back

Byculla railway station

The 19th century Byculla railway station, one of the five stations on the city's heritage list, is all set to get a facelift, with Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal scheduled to inaugurate the conservation project today.

The station is being restored under the Mumbai Beautification Project with joint efforts of NGO 'I Love Mumbai' and Central Railway. The architectural firm, Abha Narain Lambah Associates, with support from Bajaj Group, will handle the conservation work of the heritage structure.

Byculla railway station retains most of the original features of its 19th-century glory, like the high roof, historic signage, metal railings, its porch that was once used for horse carriages, and the original grilles of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (now called Central Railway) on its booking window. However, several alterations were made over the decades.

"This historic railway station has been in dire need of restoration. It has one of the most imposing facades in south Mumbai and is among the landmark stations in the area. Restoration work is needed for the main building and the facade," said Shaina NC, trustee, I Love Mumbai.

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The station was initially built using wood about 125 years ago. In 1887, restoration of the structure began and by 1891 it was converted into what we see today.

"The station, which opens onto the busy J J Road, has tremendous significance in history. Over the decades, the structure has undergone rampant alterations and the overwhelming populace it caters to has taken a toll on its historical ambience," states the restoration document.

"The original cast iron columns supporting the trusses have stone bases that have been painted in garish colours. The arched openings, however, have their timber framed doors and fanlights preserved in fairly good condition. Some original decorative elements like the monogrammed cast iron ticket window screens are still preserved, but not in use," it adds.

The project aims at removing all the artificial alterations made over the years. The other four stations on the city's heritage list are CSMT, Churchgate, Bandra and Reay Road.

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