Prez inaugurates bunker museum at Maha Raj Bhavan

| | Mumbai
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Prez inaugurates bunker museum at Maha Raj Bhavan

Monday, 19 August 2019 | TN RAGHUNATHA | Mumbai

The sea-facing Raj Bhavan on Sunday became the first such Governor’s residence in the country that houses a unique museum — a thematic underground bunker museum which has virtual reality booths that transports visitors in time to the 19th century when the bunker was constructed to fire cannons at approaching enemy ships.

Spread over an area of 15,000 sq.ft, the-first- of-its-kind museum will be thrown open for the general public through prior online booking later during the year.

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the underground Bunker Museum at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai on Sunday.

Accompanied by Governor CH. Vidyasagar Rao, the President was shown around the exhibition and given an audio visual experience of the history of Raj Bhavan at a Virtual Reality booth in the museum.

Dioramas of cannons and soldiers, optical illusions of a bunker of infinite length and cannons have also been created inside the museum.

It may be recalled that in the second week of August 2016, the state PWD officials discovered a 150-meter long underground British era Bunker inside Raj Bhavan. Having remained closed for nearly six decades, the bunker had suffered extensive wear and tear due to seepage from the overhead lawn.

As the bunker is part of the history and heritage of Raj Bhavan and also because a part of it lies below ‘Jal Bhushan’ the office and residence of Governor, a structural audit of the bunker was carried out and the structure was strengthened.

The bunker has 13 rooms of different sizes. It opens with a 20-ft tall majestic gate. Towards the entrance, the structure resembles a fort. When opened, the bunker had rooms bearing names such as Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump, Central Artillery Store, Workshop, etc. The entire underground bunker was found to have a proper drainage system and inlets for fresh air and light.

While carrying out the Conservation works, the authorities have restored the original features of the bunker and it has been readied as a museum by incorporating virtual reality on the themes of Cannon-firing experience, history of Raj Bhavan and a glimpse of the forts of Maharashtra.

Earlier, the President unveiled the foundation stone for the proposed reconstruction of the Governor’s Office – cum – Residence building ‘Jal Bhushan’.

Mrs Savita Kovind, wife of the President, Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao, his wife CH Vinodha, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister for Revenue and Public Works Chandrakant Patil and Minister for Higher and Technical Education Vinod Tawde were prominent among those present on the occasion.

Jal Bhushan, the office and residence of the Governor of Maharashtra, has a history of nearly 200 years. The House has undergone several modifications and renovations. Jal Bhushan has been the official residence of the British Governors since 1885 and Indian Governors after Independence. It has evolved around the original ‘Pretty Cottage’ built by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone around 1820.

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