Mumbai’s CSMT Revamp Raises Fears Of Heritage Loss

Concerns about the disregard for India’s railway legacy are intensifying as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is undergoing extensive renovations to become a world-class railway hub. One concerning example is the decommissioning of Sir Leslie Wilson, the nation’s first electric locomotive, which formerly represented India’s groundbreaking foray into railway electrification.

Previously housed in the Central Railway Heritage Gallery at CSMT, the antique locomotive was instrumental in India’s shift from steam to electric traction. However, Sir Leslie Wilson is now buried in cement, rubble, and dust due to the gallery’s removal as part of the rehabilitation project, which has raised concerns that India’s rich railway history is being marginalised in favour of modernisation.

The Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Dr. Swapnil Nila, has promised that the locomotive will undergo renovations.

The Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Dr. Swapnil Nila, has promised that the locomotive will undergo renovations.

“The locomotive will be renovated and will take part in the 100 years celebration of electrification” stated Nila.

Indian Railways will commemorate 100 years of electrification in February 2025, signifying a century of advancement in the nation’s railway network, according to an official.

“The Central Railway has already announced plans to establish a heritage museum in Lonavala to house historic railway artefacts, including Sir Leslie Wilson” according to an official.

However, the locomotive and a number of other valuable artefacts are still at risk of being neglected and damaged because work has not yet started.

Inaugurated on World Heritage Day in 2018, CSMT’s Heritage Corridor once displayed India’s strong railway heritage with artefacts such as an antique steam crane and the first railway ticket printing machine. However, these artefacts are currently in limbo, with their future uncertain, since renovation is underway.

A preservation enthusiast stated, “It is depressing to see such an iconic piece of history being neglected as India prepares to celebrate 100 years of railway electrification.” “We run the risk of losing a crucial connection to our history in the haste for modernisation if immediate action is not taken.”

Source: The Free Press Journal

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