A steam road roller which was instrumental in laying roads in the city and had been the centre of attraction during 1930s is now on the verge of destruction.
Manufactured by John Fowler and Company Leeds Limited in United Kingdom in 1929, the steam-powered road roller was brought to Salem by the British for laying roads in Yercaud Hills and in the then Salem Municipality.
The roller needed a fireman, driver and cleaner for its operation as it was operated using steam, generated by burning of coal and wood. People gathered in large numbers to witness the miracle of laying roads, both in the city and its surrounding areas. Elderly citizens said that the road roller was in service for more than 30 years as people keenly observed its function and were amazed by its operations.
Today, the roller with many of its parts missing has been dumped at Sri Krishna Rajendra Chattiram on the premises of corporation office in Arisipalayam
“The road roller remains neglected and its parts were stolen over many years. What remains now is the main body of the machine,” says J. Barnabas, general secretary of Salem Historical Society. He said that the road roller has its own history and need to be preserved.
“The road roller has to be preserved in Government Museum so that college students can know about the engineering inventions,” he added.
Members of the society wanted the corporation to initiate steps to handover the road roller to the museum through the district administration. They also urged the administration to take steps in preserving the monuments in the district.
