CST’s drinking water fountain to be back

An old neglected pyau (drinking water fountain), perennially surrounded by hundreds of pigeons inside the Kabutarhana in CST, will soon be restored and opened for public. 

While the restoration work of the Kothari pyau opposite General Post Office (GPO) started earlier this year, according to Rahul Chemburkar, partner in the Vaastuvidhaan project,  it will be opened for public use by the end of this year.

Kothari pyau was built in 1923 and the architecture resembles indigenous Indian characteristics. It is one of the few pyaus in the city which has a different water trough for human on one side and for animals on the other. 

The pyau stopped working approximately 40 years ago. “It does not have any particular style but its design reflects elements similar to the GPO. Social history of Mumbai will be highlighted and there will be value addition in the restoration work,” said Chemburkar.

Chemburkar said, “The pyau is hallow from inside. There was a water tank inside once and a water connection facility. We will be updating the water connection facility. During the research and restoration work, we found out that it has another dispensary for animals on another side and it was hidden due to encroachment on it since few years.”