WR bids for World Heritage status

A mixture of Indo-Saracenic and Venetian Gothic styles, the Western
Railway HQ was constructed in 1899 by the same architect who is
credited with the design of CST

Bella Jaisinghani I TNN

Mumbai: Following in the footsteps of Central Railway, Western
Railway is now making a bid to enlist its headquarters as a Unesco
World Heritage Site.
CST has been declared a World Heritage Site for its grand English
Gothic architecture and a live site at that, thanks to the fact that
millions of people use it as a commuting hub and workplace.
Located opposite Churchgate station, the Western Railway
headquarters is a Grade I heritage structure. A mixture of Indo-
Saracenic and Venetian Gothic styles, the blue basalt structure was
constructed in 1899 by architect Frederick William Stevens, the same
man credited with the design of the CST and the BMC headquarters.
With its white stone dressings and domes, the WR headquarters
makes a pretty picture at any time of the day, and especially draws
onlookers when it is lit up in the evenings. The facade is currently
under repair. Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah has been
entrusted with the task of repointing (cleaning the space between
stones) and stripping oil paint off the facade.
Back in the days before land was reclaimed along Marine Drive,
the building overlooked the waters of the Arabian Sea. The waves
virtually lapped at the Western Railway headquarters. The trains did
not terminate at Churchgate then as they do now, they ran along the
shore all the way up to Colaba.
The interiors of the building still seem to belong to another day
and age. Busts of the founders of the Bombay Baroda & Central India
(BB&CI) Railway, as the Western Railway was known then, have been
installed in the lobby.
"It is the grand staircase that is the main attraction. Flowers
and creepers coloured bright red, yellow and green have been carved
out in the wrought iron railings,'' said conservation architect
Vikas Dilawari who backs the idea to nominate it for World Heritage
status.
Commemorative plaques, old photographs and colourful models of
wagons line the route to various offices inside the building. A huge
brass plate on the first floor honours the memory of the loyal
servants of the BB&CI who lost their lives during the `Great War of
1914-18'. A smaller one at the entrance of the building proudly
recalls earning the gratitude of the Allied Forces for supplying
fighter aircraft. And the centrepiece of the grand conference room
is a set of models of locomotives from a bygone era.
Although the exterior of a Grade I heritage structure cannot be
modified, some minor alterations have been carried out inside the
building keeping its functional use in mind. An elevator encased in
iron mesh runs its course under the tall arches.
"The asbestos roof would seal in the summer heat so a false
ceiling was installed for the benefit of the staff working on the
upper storey,'' says a WR official, pointing to a gap in the ceiling
that reveals the original roof.
No doubt the acquisition of a heritage tag for the structure will
instill pride in Mumbai's citizens, but conservationists warn that
the title must be followed up by maintenance and preservation.
"Sadly, in this respect, the CST building does not set a good
example. It has been three years since it acquired the status of a
World Heritage Site, but windows remain broken and signages are
absent,'' says Dilawari.
"Officials who display the will do not have power, whereas those
who have power lack the will,'' adds Dilawari.
Tasneem Mehta of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural
Heritage (INTACH), who along with Dilawari was instrumental in
helping CR acquire the coveted status, emphasises that recognition
comes with responsibility.
"Unesco may ask whether CR has followed the covenant for the
preservation of a World Heritage Site. If it is found wanting, it
will impact WR's bid for similar status,'' she says.

A TALE OF TWO STRUCTURES

Architect F W Stevens designed the headquarters of both CR at CST
and the WR opposite Churchgate station. While Victoria Terminus was
completed in 1888, the WR building came up in 1899
The architectural design of both basalt structures is a mix of
Venetian Gothic and Oriental. The WR building cost Rs 7.5 lakh to
build while VT involved a precious sum of Rs 16 lakh
VT is a C-shaped building whereas WR is a straight, elongated
one. Each has a small garden in the front
While the domes are the crowning feature of the exterior of both
buildings, the interiors have similar arcades and verandahs.
The `piece de resistance' on the inside is the grand staircase made
of wrought iron. The floor of each is paved with Minton tiles
Interestingly, the offices of both general managers are located
in the southwesterly direction so as to draw in the West Wind