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Zero Stone in Pune needs to be appreciated for its value, say experts
The Zero Stone is a mark of great triangulation of Survey of India. This triangulation is a modern surveying technique introduced in India by Britishers George Everest, Campbell, and an Indian Nayan Singh, who initiated the technique and systematically surveyed the land
The presence of the unique “0 mile stone” of Pune will finally be acknowledged and accorded its full glory once again.
“The Zero Stone is a mark of great triangulation of Survey of India. This triangulation is a modern surveying technique introduced in India by Britishers George Everest, Campbell, and an Indian Nayan Singh, who initiated the technique and systematically surveyed the land,” said Kiran Kalamdani, a well-known conservation architect and member of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) heritage committee.
“They had lost the war and it was a kind of punishment for them that unless they know the lay of the land properly, they could not win over the area in 1869. Thus this survey was to fix the settlement taxes for the area which gave us the settlement and survey department. It is a piece of history that everyone should know and the beautification will highlight the importance of the stone,” he said.
Historian Mandar Lawate said, “Beautifying the Zero Stone is a good idea and will help the new generation gain knowledge of its importance in this day and age, where Google maps have given easy access to trace one’s movement. Zero Stone will bring to light that this was the beginning.”
Sham Dhavale, former head of PMC’s heritage department, said, “The Zero Stone was in complete disregard and neglect and it was half-buried in the pavement outside the General Post Office (GPO). Considering the value of Zero Stone, every city should take a leaf from it and maintain theirs properly. Beautification will add value to this heritage monument and help the new generation as well as the tourists to the city in knowing the importance of this 0 mile stone.”
Chetan Sahasrabudhe, conservation architect and executive committee member of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), Pune chapter, said, “The interest shown by the people’s representatives is definitely commendable. Intach congratulates the representatives and the HT team for their efforts. Having said that, we need to be aware of the word “beautification”. As a city we have proved again and again that our aesthetic judgements are often facile and naive. So, while the sentiments are noble, and laudable, the visual manifestation is something we have to be careful about.”
