The protagonist of this post envisioned the idea of Jamsetji’s hydroelectric dream. The story of how it was made a reality is a saga of folklore stature.
During that era, Bombay was known for its bustling trade in cotton. No wonder, the soft and fluffy natural fibre was fondly called ‘white gold’. Thanks to the smoking chimneys of cotton and textile mills that were abuzz with action, powered by the coal, oil and steam engine-powered machines, the rampant pollution was giving the city a dark, smoggy, and sinister look. Jamsetji yearned to rescue his beloved city from the toxic refuse, but his wish seemed a distant dream then as the electrification of factories had not taken root; it had just about begun in Calcutta around 1879.
The seeds of transformative innovation that eventually fulfilled Jamsetji’s dream were sown by renowned architect David Gostling, the brain behind many a enduring Gothic creation, sprawling landmarks like the Western Railway headquarters, Police headquarters, Army Navy Building, Grindlays Bank building, and the Blue Synagogue of the Jews. (Refer to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-back-story-mumbais-gothic-architecture-splendour-sudhir-raikar/?trackingId=YAHPG5VPR5abCQQBFss1XA%3D%3D for more on Mumbai's Gothic splendour)
Gostling proposed the use of rainwater flowing off hilly terrains to produce hydroelectric energy. From 1894 till 1899, he did numerous inspections in and around Lonavala noting water levels, lines and contours, as also drawing ups strategic maps and blueprints. After painstaking research, he outlined a grand plan of building lakes and dams on the strong, hard and earthquake resistant topography of the Sahyadri mountain range. Duct lines would facilitate the transfer of the stored water from Khandala to Khopoli, a fall from 1734 feet at a pressure of 680 pounds per square inch and generators installed at Khopoli would produce hydro electric energy. Jamsetji immediately approved the plan but sadly, both he and Gostling could not see their dream come true in their lifetime.
Jamsetji breathed his last in 1904 and Gostling died four years later. Jamsetji’s son Dorabji took their idea to fruition in 1911. This Tata project was hailed as the world’s largest hydroelectric project of the time. The foundation and cornerstone ceremony was held on February 8, 1911 at the hands of the then Bombay Governor Sir George Sydenham Clarke in the esteemed presence of dignitaries including Justice Davar, Yuvraj of Gondal state, Maharaja of Mysore, Byramjee Jeejeebhoy, editors of reputed newspapers, and key English officials.
From the very next day, around 7000 labourers began toiling day and night in the Khandala-Lonavala mountain ranges, transporting, positioning and fitting iron pipes of seven feet diameter on the difficult terrain surrounded by dense forests. Today even after the passage of 110 years, these German-made pipes are dutifully going about their job of transporting the gushing water of astounding force without any breakage or leakage. The generators were sourced from America, while the generator wheel kits were imported from Switzerland. The wires for power transmission came from England. The significance of this monumental feat is evident from its era, a time when means and methods of transportation and communication were primitive by today’s standards, but the vision, resolve, commitment of stalwarts ran deeper by today’s standards.
In 1915, when Lord Willingdon pressed the proverbial button at khopoli, Bombay’s Simplex mill dazzled in electric splendour. The Lonavala Dam was christened ‘Gostling lake’ to pay tribute to the visionary architect but he is today a forgotten hero. That we don't have a single photograph of this architect of metaphorical substance, leave alone a memorial, is akin to a Greek tragedy of epic proportions.
I must thank renowned architect and ace chronicler Anand Naik of Lonavala for sharing invaluable information about David Gostling on social media, which was made available to me, courtesy of my friend Nitin Gupte, noted entrepreneur and design enthusiast from Pune.