British-era iron handcart still in use at water pumping plant
PRAYAGRAJ: Even as several public service departments are being equipped with modern equipment and machines by the state government, some Britishera tools are still in use due to their durability in the Water Works pumping plant at Karelabag in Sangam city.
The plant, which is around 100 years old, was established for pumping water to Khusrubagh where the raw water is cleaned and supplied to different localities, say senior officials.
While the structure of the water pump and an old building also belong to British era, a large iron handcart, also of the pre-Independence times, is still intact and very much in use by employees of the plant.
Although old, the handcart is often used by employees to carry heavy parts of pumping plant within the premises. The heavy handcart made of solid iron has the inscription of ‘ Empire Engineering Company Cawnpore’ on it which proves its antiquity.
A retired water pump employee Ehsan Ahmad says that he worked at water pumping plant for 40 years and that iron handcart is there long before he joined the service. “The handcart became too heavy after water pump parts or other material was loaded on it and two to three men were required to push it,” he added.
The Empire Engineering Co. Ltd., Civil, Mechanical, Motor and Constructional Engineers, Contractors and Builders – Kanpur (then spelled Cawnpore) was established in 1894 during British era but is now no more operational.
However, the equipment made by the company, including the iron handcart, is still in use and is a heritage of forgotten era.
Former corporator of the area, Nandlal Nishad said the water pumping plant premises was established during British times and is still functional.
The former corporator said that elderly people of the area used to say that premises were used by British for many purposes. Heavy goods were brought on ships or large boats to Subban Ghat as Yamuna was used for inland water transport at that time. An old building constructed of heavy stone is still in the water pumping plant premises and is now used as storehouse.
Water Works general manager Harishchandra Valmiki said many of the equipment are old but are still intact and functional like the iron handcart due to proper care and maintenance, he said.