The Divisional Railway Manager’s Bungalow (DRM) glows in the evening sunlight as do the old mango and wood apple trees that surround it. Not too far away is another colonial bungalow and the Railway Government High School. Each of these have the red Mangalore tiles and other architectural features that date back to the early 1900s. These buildings encompass the 125 years of railway heritage of Visakhapatnam.
Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh :17/04/2019: A view of the DRM Bungalow in Visakhapatnam on 17 April 2019. INTACH is taking up an initiative to document the railway heritage history of the city. Photo : K.R. Deepak / The Hindu
In a first, INTACH in association with Waltair Division Railway is documenting the history of railway heritage structures in the city. The initiative comes after the Waltair Division commemorated the completion of 125 years of the passage of the first goods and passenger trains through Waltair station (now Visakhapatnam Junction).
Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh :17/04/2019: A view of the Railway high school in Visakhapatnam on 17 April 2019. INTACH is taking up an initiative to document the railway heritage history of the city. Photo : K.R. Deepak / The Hindu
“This is the first such effort to document and preserve the rich history and heritage of railways that was instrumental in bringing in tremendous growth to the region,” says Mayank Kumari Deo, convener of INTACH – Visakhapatnam Chapter. For the initiative, the knowledge partner is GITAM School of Architecture. The entire process of documentation is expected to take two months.
Little has been written about the heritage structures of the Railways. Interestingly, a 1929 map procured by Edward Paul, a history enthusiast and member of INTACH, points to many structures that still exist today. “The map indicates the presence of the District Traffic Superintendent Office (DTS) which is today the Railway Government High School. The original structure is still intact. The DTS Office played a pivotal role back then as it was where the railway operations functioned from,” explains Paul. However, unlike the imposing railway heritage structures in Chennai, Kolkata or Mumbai (from where the English East India Company started their first rail projects), the DTS office in Visakhapatnam was much smaller in size.
The DRM Bungalow that was then known as the DTS bungalow also finds a spot in the map.
Standing beside the Visakhapatnam Railway Station is the Railway Institute. Once a thriving cultural hub, today it is sadly a shadow of its glorious past. The place is occasionally let out for weddings or other functions.
Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh :17/04/2019: A view of the Railway Institute in Visakhapatnam. in Visakhapatnam on 17 April 2019. INTACH is taking up an initiative to document the railway heritage history of the city. Photo : K.R. Deepak / The Hindu
A narrow lane leads up to the entrance and while the external structure retains its original form, the wooden flooring have made way for tiles. A passer-by may not give it a second look. But the decades-old pillars of the institute is steeped in history. “This place used to be a bustling, happening hub of all cultural programmes of the Anglo-Indian Community of Visakhapatnam, a majority of whom were employed with the railways,” recalls Paul.
- The English East India Company started the rail projects at the three major ports of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
- The British government in India planned to connect the three major ports this way with rest of the country for easier, quicker and cheaper movement of goods .
- Visakhapatnam was identified as a major junction that fell midway between Calcutta and Madras on the east coast.
- In 1888,the ‘East Coast State Railway’ was formed that was fully owned by the government, for undertaking construction of this stretch. The work was sanctioned in July 1890.
- The Railways in Visakhapatnam at diffrent times was under the East Coast State Railway, Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, Eastern Railway, Bengal Nagpur Railway and South Eastern Railway. It was brought under the present East Coast Zonal Railway only in 2003.
- When the railways came to Visakhapatnam, there were three stations - Waltair Junction (the present railway station), Vizagapatnam Town (Old Town Area), Vizagapatnam Wharf (Port Entrance Channel).
Currently there are no boards indicating the history or vintage of the heritage buildings of the railways like the DRM Bungalow, the Railway Government High School or the Railway Institute . There are several other heritage buildings of the railways that are spread over the neighbouring localities. Once the documentation project is completed INTACH plans to conduct heritage walks to showcaserailway history and architecture. “We are also in talks with the Divisional Railway Manager to get permission for organising heritage walks inside the DRM Bungalow premises,” says Mayank.
