The iconic Rajabai Clock Tower on the Mumbai University campus reopened on Tuesday after two years of restoration work, the first since its construction in 1878.
While it was originally built at a cost of Rs.5.5 lakh, the first phase of its restoration — taken up by Tata Consultancy Services in co-ordination with the Indian Heritage Society — cost Rs.4.2 crore.
TCS has also offered Rs.3.05 crore for the second phase of the restoration, which will cover the repairs of furniture, fixtures and lighting at the clock tower and library. “By the end of the year, the tower will once again be the beacon of the city,” assured Anita Garware of The Indian Heritage Society, Mumbai.
The Neo-Gothic tower that faces the more modern art deco buildings along the Oval Maidan, was designed by English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott who did not even visit India for the purpose, and was modelled on London’s Big Ben. In keeping with the wishes of Jain businessman and stockbroker Premchand Roychund, who in 1864 donated Rs. 2 lakh for its construction, the tower was named after his mother Rajabai.
The restoration of the 280-feet high Grade I heritage structure and the university library that houses many rare books was not without its challenges. “It consists of four different stones — Malad, Grey Green Basalt, Porbundar and Red Dharangdhara. It also had very expensive Minton tile flooring, Burma teak and rosewood structures, carved balconies, 24 statues representing the different castes of India, that required intense documentation, condition mapping and structural analysis,” explained Brinda Somaya, of Somaya & Kalappa Consultants, the architects for the project.
It also required the construction of a platform at a height of 196 feet to work on the windows high up on the tower. The restoration work, which began in June 2013, was completed this month.
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