Heritage tower clock bell at Karnataka Arts College chime again

Bengaluru: Tolling of the heritage tower clock bell at Karnataka Art College which had fallen silent in the last decade after 120 years of incessant chime have become alive again after the intervention of the South Western Railways.

The Central Offices of Southern Mahratta Railway (SMR), a building with a blend of colonial and local architecture, was constructed at Dharwad, under the supervision of Chief Engineer Colonel James Gavin Lindsay formerly of famed corps of engineers of East India Company in 1882.

The then chairman of SMR T. Douglas Forsyth after visiting through the entire Southern Mahratta region in year 1883-84, had selected Dharwad as the site for the Headquarters of the Southern Mahratta Railway, on account of its elevation above the sea-2,586ft.-its central situation on the Company's system, its healthy character, and its position as a military and civil station of Government.

Subsequent to the merging of SMR with Madras Railway and formation of a new company MSMR with Headquarters at Madras in year 1908, The government of Bombay presidency purchased this building at a cost of Rs 3, 26,956 from MSMR for purpose of providing Higher education and the Karnataka college Dharwad was inaugurated by the then Governor of Bombay H E Sir George Lloyd on July 15, 1920.

The clock tower, centrally located, is adorned with two heritage clocks displaying time majestically on both sides of the Central Offices. In those days, its sweet chimes would reverberate up to a distance of 3 km, telling the inhabitants current time.

P K Mishra, Additional General Manager, SWR along with members of SWR heritage team visited Karnataka Art College in June to see erstwhile central offices of SMR. Principal of Art College Dr. Basappa F. Chaklabbi and Professor of Art College Dr. Gani stated that the tower clock was not working since 2010 and all attempts to make it functional had proven futile.

College had contacted HMT Watch factory Bangalore for repair/ restoration of these clocks but the HMT was unable to restore the old Antique clock and a quartz analog solar clock with striking attachment was installed. The heritage clock, a silent witness to the glorious journey of more than 120 years, was lying in a corner abandoned, silently gazing at the anachronistic quartz clock, while the components of the antique heritage clock were slowly turning into a heap of scrap.

Registrar, Karnataka University, Dharwad on August 25 requested the SWR to repair and restore the original mechanical analog tower clocks for upholding the glory of Karnataka Arts College Dharwad.

The Central Offices of Southern Mahratta Railway, being the shared common heritage, SWR offered assistance in restoring the tower clock of erstwhile Central Offices of Southern Mahratta Railway.

P Ravi Kumar, PCME SWR and CWM Shri Niraj Jain, Chief Works Manager Hubli workshop accepted the challenge of restoring the heritage tower clock. It was truly a daunting task due to the non availability of spares and lack of trained manpower in repairing vintage clocks.

Most of the components had worn out, certain parts were missing and some of the items were in the broken state. Gears had developed backlash & ovality, gear teeth had worn out completely, some of the gear teeth and linkages were found cut, probably the result of past attempts of repairs.

The SWR team visited KCD and studied the nature of repairs to be done. The defective, broken and missing parts of the original clocks were collected and brought to the workshop and these parts of the Antique clock were repaired by different reclamation processes like gas and arc welding, machining, filling and fitting etc l. and missing components like counterweights, pins and arms were manufactured in house. After completion of reclamation and repairs the spares were assembled on both the clocks and finishing touch was given. Same was kept under observation for 3 – 4 days and after ensuring proper working of the gear train and arms, the hours and minutes needles were connected to the original clock by duly disconnecting the anachronistic quartz analog solar clock installed by HMT, Bangalore.

Ajay Kumar Singh, general manager, SWR commended the work of the Heritage Committee to restore the Clock.

"It was extremely heartening to see that iconic tower clock, the landmark of city and common heritage of south western railway and Karnataka Art College, was restored to its former glory in 2020: the year of centenary celebration of Karnataka Art College," he said.