Heritage stones with inscriptions on the British-era Carnac Bridge will be carefully extracted from the spot and moved to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station as part of the gallery to showcase the rail line's rich past.
There are stone columns on either end of the bridge, having inscriptions in three different languages. These inscriptions include the bridge's year of construction, the name of the rail over bridge and the symbol of a ship's anchor, among others.
The stone plaques at the four corners of the more than 150-year-old structure will be kept at the heritage gallery at the iconic railway station, which also serves as the Central Railway's headquarters. However, officials may consider placing them back on the newly constructed structure as a symbolic mark of the existence of the bridge constructed by 'bhau'.
Built in 1866-1867, the iconic bridge was constructed by Laxman Harishchandra Ajinkya, popularly known as bhau, after whom Ferry Wharf got its alternatepopular title 'Bhaucha Dhakka'.
The authorities are anticipating that a few heritage enthusiasts may visit Carnac Bridge over the weekend, while it is being dismantled, to capture the last few moments of the bridge's existence.
