MUMBAI: Two abandoned identical 22- tonne British-era cannons found lying half-buried and unnoticed at Raj Bhavan here were lifted using a crane on Saturday.
Maharashtra Governor CH. Vidyasagar Rao has ordered the conservation and restoration of the cannons, a Raj Bhavan officials have said. In 2016, a 13-room British era underground bunker was found below the lawns of Raj Bhavan.
The bunker is being restored under the guidance of an expert architect firm, as the Governor has directed it to be converted into a museum and throw it open for the general public. After unearthing the cannons, Governor directed his staff to to seek the assistance of Indian Navy to obtain the technical details of the cannons and also to find out the archival records, if any.
He has asked the officials to place the cannons in front of 'Jal Vihar' (Banquet Hall) in the Raj Bhavan complex. The two were found partially burried under mud at the foothills of Raj Bhavan. It appears that they must have been lying there for many decades, said a senior official from Raj Bhavan.
The cannons were noticed by staff members of Raj Bhavan during a tree plantation activity a few months ago. Each of the cannons weighs 22 tonnes, measures 4.7 meters in length and has a diameter of 1.15 meters. The two cannons were lifted using a crane over a height of more than 50 meters and placed temporarily on the front lawns of Raj Bhavan, the official said.