As one walks past Ballard Estate, a sense of uniformity in its architecture impresses upon the senses.
Built in the European Renaissance style between 1908-14, it was planned as a premium business district, with forty-three blocks of neat office buildings with broad, well-kept thoroughfares — comparable to the very best in the British Empire at that time.u00a0Towards its southern end, opposite the New Customs House, is the bronze and gilt-edged Port Trust War Memorial, erected by the Bombay Port Trust.u00a0
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A closer look at this almost-forgotten memorial and one learns of the invaluable support provided by the Port Trust for the greater cause of World War I. The first transport for the War left from the city’s port on August 21, 1914. On the memorial, a plaque reads:
“87,000 troops embarked and disembarked from the Port…
u00a03,046 transports and 668 hospital ships were dealt with at the docks…
u00a02,073 troop and hospital trains were railed over the Port Trust Railway…
494 Government ships used the Port Trust Dry Docks…
22,28,000 tons of military stores were shipped from the port.”
So, the next time, you’re in the area, spare a few moments to soak in this slice of history.
At: End of Ramgulam Marg, where it meets Shoorji Vallabhdas Road, Ballard Estate.
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