From imposing railway terminuses in Indian cities to picturesque stations in small towns, the romance of the railways still remains. Indian Railway Buildings takes the reader on a fascinating journey through some of the most iconic railway buildings in India-buildings that were, and still are, landmark structures.
Featuring historic information and many rare photographs about the construction of these structures, the author reveals interesting and little-known aspects about the heritage railway buildings of India, such as Bengal Nagpur Railway House. It is the oldest and one of the finest classical revival buildings of the Indian Railways, and is said to have been home to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Oudh while he was in exile in Garden Reach, Kolkata.
Focusing on the structures built during the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, this book highlights the historical and architectural features of a significant number of railway buildings that were constructed during the days of the British Raj in India.
Extensively researched and packed with 26 historical facts, this book is a treasure for all those who love to travel of explore the styles and designs of buildings from the comfort of their homes Rediscover the romance of the railways met journey with ridian Rathway Buildings Heritage History and Beyond.
Vinoo Mathur was actively involved with the proposal for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai, being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 and instrumental in initiating the proposal for the inclusion of the Kalka-Shimla Railway in the 'Mountain Railways of India, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
He has worked for the Indian Railways from 1971 to 2008 in various capacities, including Divisional Railway Manager, Dhanbad; Secretary, Railway Board and General Manager, Northern Railway. He retired as Member Traffic on the Railway Board. Post-retirement, he is an Advisor to Japanese consultants working on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Railway project.
His interests include sports, wildlife, writing and conservation of rail heritage. He is the President of the Rail Enthusiasts' Society.
I have had the rare privilege of being associated with the Indian Railways for half-a-century and have directly served it for 37 years. During this long association, apart from professional responsibilities, I have found interest in various facets of the Railway. One such is the rich heritage of the Indian Railways, spanning over almost 170 years. Since childhood, I have had a casual interest in arts and architecture. Later, as a student of history, I got interested in the evolution of India's monumental architecture and never missed an opportunity to visit old forts, temples, churches and monuments.
In 2004, while serving as Secretary, Railway Board, one of my responsibilities was conserving 'heritage' on the Railways. To my surprise, one morning I was requested to lead a delegation to a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in China, where they would decide on which proposals received from all over the world should be included in the World Heritage List. There were three proposals from India, including one for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station and administrative building complex, Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay Victoria Terminus). Fortunately, two of the three proposals were accepted and inscribed in the World Heritage List, including the magnificent station and office complex in Mumbai. The week-long visit was an eye-opener. First, the finer nuances of getting a site included in the list, which requires a considerable amount of effort in terms of drafting the proposal, getting expert appraisal and convincing member states who vote, of the merit of the application. Second, was the experience of learning and appreciating the finer aspects of Mumbai's Victorian gothic revival architecture and our own proposal.
As a routine, most of us walk in and out or occupy offices in some of these fine heritage buildings without really appreciating their beauty or outstanding architectural features.
The Railways in India now has the rare distinction of being the custodian of two Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites out of a total of about 33 Cultural World Heritage Sites in the country. The other site is the 'Mountain Railways of India', which includes the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka Shimla Railway. Western Railway offices in Mumbai are now part of a third site. It was after the China visit that I started taking a closer look at the rich built-heritage of the Railways. No other railway building is in the same class as Victoria Terminus, however, there are a large number of very fine buildings, big and small. They are the General Offices of the former state and private-run railway companies, station buildings in metropolitan cities and provincial towns, offices and stations of princely state railways, railway training establishments, townships, bungalows, clubs, churches and institutes. After the events of 1857, the rule of the East India Company came to an end and the country was placed under the direct rule of the crown. The event coincided with early rail development in India. At the time, a conscious effort was made by the British to build monumental buildings with a view to impress the local population and replace the country's rich architectural inheritance left by the earlier rulers of the country in terms of fortresses, temples, mosques and palaces, with new symbols of authority. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, a number of monumental Raj buildings were constructed, in the form of High Courts, Secretariats, university buildings, hospitals and palatial residences. This was also a time when a number of trained British architects came to India. Whereas in earlier years, military or Public Works Department engineers played a key role in designing and constructing railway buildings, they were progressively replaced by professional architects in larger projects. Young architects engaged by the Railways, in later years, became architects of national repute carrying out many commissions outside the Railway.
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