During mapping of sewage site, engineers found an old pump house; Buried in 8-feet sludge, they recovered 100-yr-old artefacts
Rejuvenation of Dravyavati has revealed a centralized water pump system that existed in Jaipur over a century ago. Developed in the late 20th century, the pump house at Panipech used steam power to pump water to the Walled City area.
The steam system was left redundant by the arrival of electric motors and the old pump house has been in destitute since damaged in floods of 1980. The old pump house is now being restored as a museum as part of the Dravyavati riverfront bird park. The boiler and pumps that were imported from England have been refurbished at the pump house while other old tools and components excavated from the site have been repaired and mounted as decoration.
Offering a mix of heritage and utility, the old pump house will also have a cafe where visitors could share time in the middle of the city’s rich history. The historical destination will soon be open for the public has also been a discovery for the Dravyavati contractor. “The pump house restoration was not part of the initial plan but has been a voyage of discoveries,” says Colin Batchelor, Dravyavati River project director at TPL SUCG consortium.
The site was initially selected for the development of sewerage treatment plant, however, authorities decided in favour of preserving the heritage structures and develop a park at the location instead. It was though a challenging task as it involved restructuring wall of 200-year-old Ramsagar Dam and excavating feet of mud from the pump house.
“There was up to 8 feet of mud filled in pump section, we had to excavate the mud cautiously to avoid any damage to the building,” says a restoration expert working on the site. In order to match with the old construction, lime and gravel were used for restoration works. The components discovered in the proximity of the pump house have, meanwhile, been repaired and used as artifacts. While most of the pump buildings have been painted similar to the original colour, some walls have selectively been left untouched to depict the heritage look. A tool room at the pump house has been refurbished to house a detailed description on working of the pump system.
Meanwhile, a pump house of Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) continues to remain operational adjacent to the restored structures. Powered by electric motors, the PHED pump house is used to supply Bisalpur water as the Dravyavati river, that had once been a supply source, had depleted over the past decades.
A destination for birds
It had been a leak in the Ramsagar Dam that led to formation of wetland near the Panipech Pump House. This wetland had since become a home of several birds and when the developers discovered it, they decided to conserve the leak as well. “To conserve the ecology of the location, two small water bodies are being developed at the park. They will work as a spillover catchment for the dam and will retain water all round the year,” says an official. Most area of the park has,thus, been kept free from construction as it is likely to attract migratory birds for a pit stop.
A disabled-friendly venue
The bird park will also be a disabled friendly venue. The park entry and other areas have also been connected through ramps to facilitate those unable to access the staircases. The restrooms and other facilities have also been developed keeping in consideration requirement of the disabled and old citizens. Walkways of the park have also been developed to provision for unhindered movement of the physically challenged. Due care is also being taken to ensure safety of the visitors to the park and fences are being mounted along the dam walls to prevent accidents.
Air-conditioned cafeteria
The old pump house building is being developed in an air-conditioned cafeteria where visitors to the park will be able to relax and rejuvenate. The furniture for the cafeteria has also been designed to compliment the heritage look, several of the pump house components unearthed during restoration work have also been modified to be used as furniture of the cafe. The cafe will have three types of sitting area, one inside the pump house, another with a transparent roof while a third open area that will be covered with vine that has been existing at the location for several decades.
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