Mumbai: Byculla station on its way to getting back past glory

The interior of Byculla station

With Phase I restoration work going on in full swing, the Byculla railway station has started to show glimpses of its past glory. The 125-year-old station is one of the five listed heritage stations of the city.

"The paint has come off and the teak wood panels are enhancing the station's look. In fact, we are trying to restore the original features of the station built in 1887. The high roof over the concourse structure originally had the gable end constructed with wooden louvers to facilitate an efficient ventilation system. It helped in keeping the space cool. Over a period of time, the panels were replaced with patterned glass," an official said.

The exterior of Byculla station

"The original cast iron columns supporting the trusses had stone bases, which were painted with garish colours. The flooring had been altered at many places by using polished kota stone and mustard-coloured ceramic floor tile. The walls had brown tiles. All these alterations were in complete contrast with the original features, and now we are in the process of restoring it," he added.

The station is being renovated under the Mumbai Beautification Project, by NGO I Love Mumbai and Central Railway, with support from Abha Narain Lambah Associates and the Bajaj Group. Central Railway chief public relations officer, Shivaji Sutar, said, "The Byculla station building is pretty eye-catching, and it is also among the oldest railway stations. The station building has historic architecture, and the interior design of the premises takes you back to the British era."

1887
Year Byculla station was built