Husainabad Clock Tower

Hussainabad Clock Tower

Clock Tower
Coordinates	26°52′28″N 80°54′24″E / 26.874581°N 80.906788°E / 26.874581; 80.906788Coordinates: 26°52′28″N 80°54′24″E / 26.874581°N 80.906788°E / 26.874581; 80.906788
Location	Lucknow
Designer	Roskell Payne
Type	victory column
Height	219 feet (67 m)
Opening date	1881
Dedicated to	Sir George Couper

Husainabad Clock Tower is a clock tower located in the Lucknow city of India. It was constructed in 1881 by Hussainabad Trust to mark the arrival of Sir George Couper, 1st Lieutenant Governor of United Province of Avadh. It was built at a cost of Rs. 1.75 lakhs.^[1]

History

It is located adjacent to the Rumi Darwaza, and is a perfect example to the artistic and structural skills of the Englishmen. Built in the year 1881, Husainabad clock tower is adjudged as the tallest among all the clock towers in India. it was built as a replica to the BIGBEN clock tower of london.

Roskell Payne designed this structure of 67 meter high and it reflects Victorian and Gothic style structural designs. Gunmetal is used for building the clock parts. It’s gigantic pendulum has a length of 14 feet and the dial of the clock is designed in the shape of a 12-petalled flower and bells around it.^[2]

Clock Tower

Husainabad Clock Tower

In 2010, the district administration decided to replace the clock. But then two samaritans Captain Paritosh Chauhan and Akhilesh Agarwal approached the administration to allow them to repair it, so that the mechanical clock is not replaced with an electronic one. It was Captain Chauhan's passion and love for his city that he requested the then DM, Amit Ghosh to give him a chance to repair it. They worked on it for three years and reconstructed the entire clock on pro bono basis.

On 13 April 2010, they began working and were able to make the defunct clock functional by 28 October 2010. Finally on 13 September 2011, they made the giant clock tower chime, after a silence of 27 long years.

References