From displaying real tunnel boring machines at its proposed “Tunnel Section” to having gigantic cranes on show, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has drawn up a list of an interesting array of items for its Metro Museum, as it looks to upgrade it to international levels in association with the British Museum in London.
Elaborating on the plans, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said, “Patel Chowk station which houses the Metro Museum has become over crowded. So, we are planning to have either more museums at more Metro stations or establish a mammoth museum at one location so that it can house the huge equipments used in the Metro construction. This would enable the future generation know its history.”
Mr. Dayal, who has been associated with the DMRC since its inception, said: “Our Metro (train) is more advanced than the old metros in the European countries and the new metros that have come up in the South East Asian countries sometime back. As, lot of foreigners visit the metro we need to have its documentation done.”
The DMRC has plans to ensure that the Metro Museum not only adds more to its collection but also becomes world class on the lines of the London Transport Museum.
“Our Metro Museum is inspired by the British Museum which is the oldest museum in the world, built in 1863. As their Metro served as a bomb shelter during the World War II – the details of the same have been showcased through photographs and interesting snippets. In their three-floor museum, they have the first London bus and lot of old models of trains and buses apart from ‘Driving Simulator Cabs’ where visitors can sit and have a feel of driving a metro and photographs of people who made the first metro,” said Mr. Dayal.
Seeking to make the Delhi museum even more interactive and informative would now be the challenge. “These concepts and ideas,” he added, “have been taken in. A visit to the British Museum in June would be followed by a visit to the Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad for more inputs.” As for the plans, the Delhi Metro Museum may have a “Tunnel Segment” in which a real tunnel boring machine used in Metro tunnelling, would be kept.
A company has already offered the museum an 80-metre ‘cutter head’ of the tunnel boring machine and ‘cross section’ of an underground location. Metro Museum is on a look out for a proper space to display them.
Cranes that are operational now in the Metro, would become obsolete after 20 years and then may find pride of place in the Metro Museum.
