The heritage Vasco clock at the Mormugao Municipal building may soon begin to mark time for the port town again, with a heritage group and the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) set to restore the clock tower and repair the clock which stands as a silent testimony to history.
With the restoration of the iconic clock, citizens hope that in its second innings, hopefully, it won’t stop again.
“The clock tower is the heritage symbol for the port town and it’s a great thing that it will be repaired. The MMC should also initiate regular maintenance to keep it ticking,” Nitin Chandra, a port town resident suggested.
A nostalgic senior citizen Carmelina Irin from the town recounted, “The gong of the clock could be heard in my house. But now it’s not working. It’s a good move by the MMC to repair the clock and bring back old times, when many people used to strongly rely on the watch to know time.”
Mormugao Municipal Council Chief Officer J Bhingui stated that businesswoman Swarna Bandekar has promised to bear the cost of renovation and restoration of the heritage Vasco clock tower.
He stated, “It is a unique structure of heritage importance and the heritage lovers have taken up the task of renovation and restoring the Vasco clock tower. While the structure will be renovated and restored, the clock will be repaired and made functional like before.”
MMC Councillor Sharad Chopedkar said, “The clock was functioning till late 1970s, but due to lack of maintenance, it stopped working. There was one person appointed to wind the clock every evening. However as he was not paid for his work, he stopped his services due to which the clock stopped working,” Chopedkar disclosed.
Another Councillor Shekar Khadapkar hoped that once the clock starts functioning, the wheels of development in the port town will also start moving. “I feel ever since the clock stopped working the development works in the port town also came to a grinding halt,” Khadapkar opined. “I hope with the renovation and restoration of the clock tower and the clock ticking once again, the development works in the port town will also start moving,” he said.
