Mumbai: 130-year-old tunnel found at JJ hospital

The tunnel is 200 metres long; (right) Dr Arun Rathod shows the opening he crawled through to find the tunnel

A doctor and staff checking leakages in the heritage structure, have discovered a tunnel under the Sir JJ Hospital. The 130-year-old British tunnel was found in the Dinshaw Manik Petit building, which is now a nursing college. According to hospital officials, the tunnel is 200 metres long while its height is about 4.5 metres.

On Wednesday, Dr Arun Rathod, resident medical officer, and staff found the tunnel. Dr Rathod said, "We started looking for leakages on the rooftop and came down, after which we saw a slab with holes as if for ventilation in the building. We removed the slab and saw a narrow path. I crawled through the path and saw the tunnel. We informed senior officials and the message was conveyed to the Collector."

The building under which the tunnel was discovered was once used as a medical ward to treat women and children. There is talk among the staff of another tunnel in one of the other heritage buildings.

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A senior official of the hospital said, "The Bai Motlibai building is opposite the Dinshaw Manik Petit building which is also a heritage structure, and has the same kind of slabs for ventilation. I guess there is one more tunnel and these might be interconnected. As per former staff, the tunnel might lead to the nearest port. It was built by the British to hide or escape during an emergency. However, this needs to be ascertained and we are checking the archives."

The foundation stone of the 200-metre-long tunnel, built during the British era in India, mentions the year 1890, the official said.

Last year, an underground tunnel was found in St George's Hospital which led to the Raj Bhavan.

Inputs from agencies