East End, The old Railway Board Building, Shimla, India, by Richardson and Cruddas

The old Railway Board Building, West End

Richardson & Cruddas

1896-97

Cast iron and steel

The Mall, Shimla, India

Other views

The old Railway Board Building

The old Railway Board Building, east end

Photograph, caption, and commentary by Jacqueline Banerjee

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL.]

Among the many impressive structures built on the rugged slopes of the summer capital, the technologically-advanced cast-iron and steel Railway Board Building of 1896-97, supported on the steep hillside by its three basements, is perhaps the most unusual. It was designed to be fire-resistant, and indeed when fire struck the top floor in 2001, its sturdy internal features were found to be intact. Despite the name that it is commonly known by, it was originally the Public Works Secretariat, and still speaks clearly of the Victorians' pride in industry. The building now houses various government offices.

Sources

Heritage Board outside the building.

Heritage of Shimla. Town & Country Planning Department, Shimla (Revised Heritage Report [4]).

Last modified 21 March 2008