BJP’s Shaina NC meets Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, conveys pride over UNESCO award to Mumbai’s Byculla station

Mumbai [India]: BJP Member of Parliament Shaina NC, met with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and conveyed pride over the UNSECO honour for the iconic Mumbai’s Byculla railway station, one of the oldest stations  in India

In November last year, India was honoured with the prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award of merit for successfully restoring the iconic Byculla railway station to its original glory. Shaina took to Twitter to post about her meeting with the Union Minister earlier this week.

“This project was done absolutely free for the railways and the commuters by our NGO as a tribute to our city Mumbai. Heritage conservation architect ABHA LAMBA. And MINAL BAJAJ of Bajaj Trust partnered with us to give back to the community,” she posted on Twitter.

The BJP MP said, “We are sure this can be implemented across the country too.”

The Byculla railway station restoration project was been done over a period of three years by “I Love Mumbai,” an NGO led by Shaina NC.

The organisation, committed to preserving Mumbai’s cultural heritage, teamed up with the Bajaj Foundation, renowned for its philanthropic endeavours, for the project that breathed new life into the iconic railway station on the Central line.

Byculla was one of the original stations when the Bombay-Thane railway was inaugurated in April 1853.

Heritage conservation architect Abha Lambha played a pivotal role in orchestrating the restoration, ensuring that the station’s historical significance was preserved while seamlessly integrating modern amenities for the convenience of commuters.

Together with Minal Bajaj of Bajaj Trust, formed a formidable partnership that made this restoration project a resounding success.

Shaina along with Meenal Bajaj of the Bajaj Group Charitable Trust and conservation architect Abha Narain Lambha met with the Union Minister.

The Byculla railway station has been an integral part of Mumbai’s history and culture.
The citation of the Unesco award read, “By saving India’s first railway station from impending demolition, the project is a notable case of community-initiated public-private partnership for preserving a significant part of Mumbai’s recent history.”

The project removed inappropriate additions that had accrued from the past, revealing original architectural details that were carefully restored. Upgraded to meet modern-day needs through sensitive new interventions, the historic property is now able to continue its function as a railway station that is deeply connected to the everyday life of thousands of passengers, the citation read.

“The commendable effort of the project team to rescue Asia’s oldest railway station provides a prototype for restoring and utilizing historic railway heritage across the region,’ the Unesco award read.