What it means... Bandra is one of the city's most visited areas and a station with character will be an added tourist attraction. It will also give the railways confidence to tackle the degradation at other such heritage station
Western Railway plans to embark on one of its toughest assignments as it tries to implement a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) plan to rehabilitate the slum-locked Bandra station and its vicinity into a 'landmark heritage station'.
Bandra is possibly the worst-hit among the major railway stations in when it comes to slums with both the western and the eastern side of the station sharing a wall with the slums. Clearing even one of these slums to create an efficient and functional heritage station would be a herculean task, said officials.
In reply to a query, Subrata Nath, Executive Director, Heritage, Railway Board, said that an amount of Rs 12.07 crore has been sanctioned for the work. "Based on the UNESCO recommendations and advice of Heritage Directorate, Ministry of Railways, Western Railway has formulated a project for conservation/preservation of the Bandra suburban station. The Project has been sanctioned in the Pink Book of Western Railway. On February 21, Ministry of Railways also advised Western Railway to engage a professional agency in preparing a detailed project report (DPR) and work schedule (Bill of Quantities)," Nath told DNA.
Moe Chiba, Section Chief and Programme Specialist for Culture, UNESCO, told DNA that the study was completed and submitted to the railways in December 2015. "The agreement for Bandra was signed in June 2015, where the expected input from UNESCO was to produce a design concept of how the Bandra station and its immediate vicinity can be rehabilitated as a landmark heritage station," Chiba said.
A message sent to Mukul Jain, Manager, WR did not elicit any response.
ANALYSIS:
Bandra, one of the city’s most visited areas and a station with character, will have an added tourist attraction. It will also give the railways confidence to tackle the degradation at other such heritage stations.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "BANDRA_SLUM")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}