Paralakhemundi: The Odisha chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has sought heritage status for the state’s first Railway Station at Paralakhemundi.
In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, INTACH, Odisha chapter convener, A B Tripathy urged him to consider the heritage and historical relevance of the Railway Station and take the initiative for setting up a museum and a photo gallery.
An expert team from INTACH, Bhubaneswar, comprising Anil Dhir, Deepak Kumar Nayak, Conservation Architect Satyam Jyoti and Bishnu Mohan Adhikari recently visited Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district and submitted a report on the existing and the newly coming up Railway Station.
The recommendations of the INTACH suggest that the Old Heritage Railway station should not be demolished.
“The present new building coming up is on a raised platform and overshadows the existing heritage structure.
“It is still in a very good state and does not need much restoration work. This old station should be given a Heritage Tag and preserved as it is. It is not only of importance to Odisha, being the first Railway Station of the State, but is an important Railway landmark of the nation,” Tripathy said in the letter.
The INTACH also said that the Railways should consider running a new train from Baripada to Paralakhemundi connecting north and south Odisha.
This will be a fitting tribute to two pioneers of the Railways in Odisha, Maharaja Goura Chandra Gajapati and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo, the INTACH said.
This can be a heritage train which will traverse the length of Odisha touching the historic cities of Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur and others.
The INTACH also suggested that the Paralakhemundi Railway Station should be included in the Ramayana Circuit.
The Mahendragiri Hills, which are a biodiversity, heritage and pilgrimage site, have the nearest railhead at Paralakhemundi. The hills have some of the oldest temples of India which find reference both in the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
A train “Mahendragiri Express” should run from Paralakhemundi and Ayodhya which will boost tourism and pilgrimage to the district, the letter said.
At least two of the original heritage locomotives of the PLR (Paralakimedi Light Railway) should be brought back and kept at the Station for display, it said adding that about seven of the original locomotives are lying scattered at places which have no relevance with Paralakhemundi.
The 1899-built Royal Carriage used by the Royalties of Paralakhemundi which is kept at the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Nagpur too should be brought back for display at the Station, it said.
“There are many other artefacts relating to the PLR, kept at the Nagpur Museum. These include signalling and electrical equipment, scales, uniforms, insignias, German silver cutlery, and Royal embellishments. They should all be brought back,” the INTACH said.
The old building of the Station Master, which is in a restorable condition, should be converted into a museum of the PLR and all the items displayed there, it said adding that a proper art and photograph gallery should also be set up.
Many of the wayside stations of the PLR including bridges, culverts etc. Should also be preserved as heritage structures.
“The Goods Shed at Paralakhemundi Station is a unique heritage structure which needs preservation,” it said.
INTACH is bringing out a pictorial book on the history and heritage of the Paralakimedi Light Railway which will be released when the new Railway Station is inaugurated, Tripathy said.
PTI
