Beneath the bustling corridors of Mumbai’s iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), a fascinating discovery has been made, a tunnel, roughly 25-30 feet below ground, leading to a hidden room once used to store cash for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway.
This secret strong room, which had safeguarded the railway’s money until the early 2000s, was part of the original design by architect Frederick William Stevens when CSMT (then Victoria Terminus) was built in the late 1800s.
The forgotten vault under CSMT
The chamber’s significance is profound, it served as a financial vault for nearly a century, acting as the heartbeat of one of Asia’s largest railway systems. Until 2002, this subterranean room safely stored the daily revenue collected from the Central Railway, awaiting deposit into the Reserve Bank. Its role was critical to the smooth operation of the railway network, securing vast sums in two heavy safes.
However, with the rise of electronic banking and centralised financial systems, the vault was gradually phased out and forgotten, lying dormant beneath the iconic CSMT station. Rediscovered years later, this long-forgotten space offers an intriguing glimpse into Mumbai’s colonial past and the vital infrastructure that once powered its bustling railway system.
Beneath Mumbai’s streets
This isn’t Mumbai’s first subterranean revelation. Beneath the city’s streets lies a layered archive of colonial history, with discoveries dating back decades. The intrigue began in 2010 when a 200-year-old stone tunnel was uncovered beneath the General Post Office, likely built as an escape route during fears of a French invasion.
In August 2016, a 20-foot wall at the Maharashtra Raj Bhavan was breached, revealing a massive, pre-World War I bunker. Spanning 15,000 square feet, this underground complex, with 13 rooms for storing ammunition and supplies, was designed to defend against potential naval attacks. It was transformed into a public museum in 2019.
Adding to the intrigue, a 132-year-old underground chamber was uncovered at JJ Hospital in 2018. These hidden spaces offer a glimpse into the extensive network of tunnels and chambers constructed during the British Raj for military and logistical purposes.
Is Mumbai a giant chamber of secrets?
The recent discovery of the CSMT vault highlights how deeply British colonial infrastructure, engineered for security, commerce, and defence, remains embedded beneath the city’s surface. With hidden tunnels, bunkers, and strong-rooms continually coming to light, from Raj Bhavan’s WWI-era bunker to JJ Hospital’s mysterious chamber, one can’t help but wonder: Maybe Mumbai is still one vast chamber of secrets, still waiting to be fully unlocked.
