Puri : Hundreds of youth Congress and Jagannath Sena activists today stalled the shifting of a centuries-old steam engine by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) authority from the BNR hotel premises.
The activists opposing the shifting of the heritage engine barged into the BNR Hotel premises when the ECoR authorities attempted to dismantle the parts of the engine to shift it to Bhubaneswar.
Youth Congress activists led by Ashutosh Mishra and Jagannath Sena convenor Priya darshan Pattnaik reached the hotel and forced the railway authority to stop the dismantling work.
They opposed the shifting of the engine on the ground that it is a heritage item and an integral part of the history of this place. They vowed not to allow the railway to shift this heritage item from Puri.
According to sources, the 20-ton steam engine was manufactured by Stewart & Co, England. The then Maharaja of Paralakhemundi purchased it at a cost of Rs 12,000 in 1898 and in the year 1900 it began its run between Paralakhemundi and Naupara which was later extended to Vijaynagar.
Since steam locomotives were phased out they became out of service. In 1987 during the centenary celebrations of the South Eastern Railway, it was brought to Puri and installed in the BNR hotel complex.
The postal department had released a commemorative stamp with the picture of this engine to mark the centenary celebrations of SER.
The BNR hotel established in 1900 at Puri beach is also a heritage hotel. The display of this heritage engine in the Hotel entrance has enthralled scores of visitors who were privileged to witness these pieces of history and heritage.
However, historian Anil Dhir said the engine mounted just a hundred metres from the beach, has been buffeted by the sea wind for decades. A beautiful artefact of a glorious era left behind is now rust encrusted and decaying relic today and lying in a pathetic state.
When it was lugged all the way to Puri to be kept at the erstwhile iconic BNR Hotel, it was a beautiful and grand machine.
The railways, he said took good care of the old engine till they managed the hotel, but when Lalu Prasad Yadav gave it to the Chanakya Group in 2007, the new owners gave the old property a facelift but left the engine to rot, Mr Dhir said.
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The saline air of the place spelt the doom of the engine and rust has corroded it completely. The roof of the engine has withered away and there are rust scales on the boiler, wheels and chimney.
The historian who recently visited the site suggested that this engine should be removed from Puri, properly restored and kept in the Museum planned by the East Coast Railways in their Head Quarters at Bhubaneswar.
UNI
