Railways to mark 170 years of service, special light and sound show planned at Mumbai CST

The first train in Asia (and India) ran between Mumbai and Thane on Saturday, April 16, 1853 and the Indian Railways is entering the 170th year of its service to the nation on April 16, 2022.

The unique light and sound and performance show would depicting the Railways’ history through various emotions of the nine ‘rasas’ of ‘natyashastra’.

The function will be live telecasted by the Railways through its social media handles.

The 134-year-old Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is now lit up with around 1100 lights. (Express Photo)

The programme would be presented through dance, drama, music, poetry and vocal renditions bringing out the different emotions based on various historical episodes of the history of CSMT building, Railways and the country.

According to the officials, the “Navarasangam – ek gatha CSMT ki”, will be showcasing the Indian cultural canvas by 70 artists who are Railway employees. The original audio track has also been created by a team of Railway artists and the production has been prepared after rigorous rehearsals and professional inputs from the fields of lights, music creation and studio recording.

The artists would be performing under the aegis of Central Railway Cultural Academy having inclusive participation from headquarters, divisions and workshops.

The 134-year-old Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is now lit up with around 1100 lights. Out of these 1100, brightness of over 450 lights has decreased due to aging. All these 450 lights have been replaced with new technology LED lights.

About CSMT

In 1900, Indian Midland Railway Company was merged with Great Indian Peninsula Railway the predecessor of Central Railway and its frontiers were extended from Delhi in the North, Kanpur and Allahabad in the North-east and Nagpur in the East to Raichur in the South-east. Thus, through connection from Bombay was obtained to almost all parts of India. The route mileage of the G.I.P. Railway was 1,600. (2575 km). In November 1951, Central Railway was formed by integrating Nizam State, Scindia State and Dholpur State Railways.

At present, there are 5 divisions on Central Railway i.e. Mumbai, Bhusaval, Nagpur, Solapur and Pune. Central Railway’s network is spread over 4,183 route km in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

Now the new sparkle of the theme lighting system at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus heritage building can be enjoyed. There has been a sea-change in the technology used to light the iconic structure in the recent past. Upgraded version of LED (RGB & W) lights are being used which would express the diversity of culture and tradition of the city. The technology of LED fittings which has more than a million combinations of lights has been used to illuminate the station building.

The CSMT is a spectacle that witnessed many milestones in its existence.

The present-day headquarters building of Central Railway popularly earlier known as Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) is an architectural marvel. The monument was originally planned as the office of GIP Railway. This was designed by Frederick William Stevens, a consulting architect. The construction started in 1878 and on jubilee Day in 1887, it was named after Queen Empress Victoria. Thus, taking almost a decade to build it at a princely sum of Rs. 16,13,863/- Stevens designed the monumental Terminus which was the largest building then erected in Asia.

The Victoria Terminus was designed in the Gothic style adapted to suit the Indian context. The Gothic style, offering the colour and complexity of Mughal and Hindu architecture, harmonised and most effectively made reference to the indigenous preference for ornamentation, making it the right choice of style for Victoria Terminus. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plans of the Gothic Revival structure being closest in appearance to the traditional Indian palace architecture gave an appropriate platform for the incorporation of vernacular architecture. The building is symmetrical about the east-west axis. The elements are freely changed in style, size and materials, and yet there is an indescribable unity in totality.

The crowning point of the whole building is the central main dome carrying up as a finial at its apex, a colossal 16′-6” high figure of a lady pointing a flaming torch upwards in her right hand, and a spoked wheel low in the left hand, symbolising ‘progress’. This dome has been reported to be the first octagonal ribbed masonry dome that was adapted to an ltalian Gothic style building.

The first important modification came in 1929. The former station, which adjoined it, was reserved for suburban traffic and used to have 6 platforms. In March, 1929, when the Governor, Sir Frederick Sykes, opened the remodeled VT the station was remodeled to have 13 platforms the last five being exclusively used for through trains to and from various parts of India.

With the increase in suburban passenger traffic, first double discharge platform was provided in May, 1990 and by January, 1991 all the suburban platforms were made double discharge. Further additions were made in February, 1994 by making total no. of platforms as 15. In March 1996, the station was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the building was listed as a world heritage monument by UNESCO in July 2004 for on outstanding example of late 19th century architecture. With a view to accommodate 24 coach trains platform 16 to 18 were constructed with spacious parking and entry from P. D’Mello Road in September 2007. It was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus from July 2017.

Present day CSMT station

The CSMT is the first railway station in Maharashtra to get IGBC Gold certification in 2021. It is also a Eat Right certified station. Daily about 48 pairs of long-distance trains and about 1200 suburban trains are handled at CSMT station