Maha Governor discovers British era bunker below Raj Bhavan

Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) A 150-meter long undergroundBritish era bunker which had been closed for several decadeswas discovered by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Raoinside the Raj Bhavan complex at Malabar Hill here. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to visitthe bunker today, a Raj Bhavan official said. Rao accompanied by his wife Vinodha visited the bunkertoday, after which the Governor expressed his intention toconsult experts from various fields to preserve it. The Governor had directed to get the bunker openedafter he was informed by old-timers three months ago about thepresence of a tunnel inside the Raj Bhavan. On August 12, the staff of the Public Works Departmentat Raj Bhavan broke open a temporary wall that closed theentrance to the bunker on the eastern side, the official saidin a statement. Instead of an underground tunnel, an entire barrackwith 13 rooms of different sizes was found. The bunker opens with a 20-ft tall gate and a ramp onthe western side. There are long passages and small to mediumrooms on either side, he said. The bunker spread over an area of over 5,000 squarefeet has rooms bearing the name Shell Store, Gun Shell,Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump, Workshop etc. There arealso scores of Lamp Recesses in the gangway. Even though the bunker was apparently closed afterindependence, it was found to be surprisingly intact. Interestingly the entire underground bunker has adrainage system and inlets for fresh air and light, theofficial said. According to the history of Raj Bhavans inMaharashtra, Raj Bhavan, formerly known as ‘Government House’served as the residence of British Governors since 1885 whenLord Reay turned it into a permanent residence. Prior to 1885, the Malabar Hill residence served asthe Summer Residence of the British Governors. The GovernmentHouse at Parel served as the Governor’s residence before 1885.PTI VT NRB SRYBAS