Tala tank

Water tower in Kolkata, India

Tala tank

Tala water tank from the demolished Tala Bridge

Alternative names| Tallah Tank
General information
Status| Operational
Location| Kolkata
Address| 71, Barrackpore Trunk Road, Paikpara, West Bengal
Country| India
Coordinates| 22°36′36″N 88°22′44″E﻿ / ﻿22.61000°N 88.37889°E﻿ / 22.61000; 88.37889
Construction started| 18 November 1909
Completed| 12 January 1911
Opened| 16 May 1911; 114 years ago (1911-05-16)
Cost| ₹1.1 million (equivalent to ₹360 million or US$4.3 million in 2023) in 1909–10
Owner| Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Governing body| Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Height| 110 ft (34 m)
Dimensions
Weight| 44 thousand tonnes
Technical details
Material| Concrete, Steel and Burmese teak wood
Floor area| 321 sq ft (29.8 m2)
Grounds| 3–4 acres (12–16 thousand square metres)
Design and construction
Architect(s)| W. B. MacCabe
Architecture firm| Calcutta Corporation Water Works
Main contractor| M/s T K Mukherjee and Co.; M/s Martin and Co.; Arracon Co. and Clayton, Son & Co. of Leeds
Known for| World's largest overhead water reservoir
Website
kmcgov.in/WaterSupply

The Tala tank, also spelled Tallah tank (Bengali pronunciation: [ˈʈala tæŋk]), is a water tower in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Construction started in 1909 and it was inaugurated in May 1911 by Edward Norman Baker, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. The tank, which is owned by Kolkata Municipal Corporation, is fed by Palta Water Works near Barrackpore. More than 110 years after construction, the tower remains the major water supplier to the city of Kolkata.

The water tower, which is claimed to be the world's largest overhead water reservoir, covers 3–4 acres (12,000–16,000 m2), has a capacity of 9.9 million imperial gallons (45,000 cubic metres), stands 110 ft (34 m) off the ground and weighs 44 thousand tonnes – including water – at maximum capacity. The tank has four individually isolated chambers and a single pipeline for the water source from Palta and to send the water supply to the city.

The steel was imported from the United Kingdom and is of similar quality to that which was used to build the RMS Titanic. It has survived multiple calamities including the 1934 Nepal–India earthquake, World War II Imperial Japanese aerial bombings from 1942 to 1944 and Cyclone Amphan in 2020.

The water tower has undergone renovations since its centenary, under the consultancy of IIEST Shibpur, Jadavpur University, IIT Kharagpur and Central Electrochemical Research Institute at an estimated cost of ₹250 million (equivalent to ₹420 million or US$5.0 million in 2023). The renovations were carried out one chamber at a time to prevent interruptions in the city's water supply.

## History

[edit]

Tala tank foundation plaque

Before pumped water supply to Kolkata began in 1820, the city's water was mainly sourced from the Lal Dighi[a] at B. B. D. Bagh, which the British authorities considered was the only hygienic water body in the area. In 1820, as demand for water grew, a small pump house was built at Chandpal Ghat to draw water from the Hooghly River. Water was supplied to a limited area through open brick aqueducts.[3] The first drinking water was supplied to the city with the establishment of a small water treatment plant at Pulta Water Works, which started operating between 1864 and 1870 at Pulta (now Palta), a neighbourhood near Barrackpore and then 32 km (20 mi) north of Calcutta (as the city was then called – now the neighbourhood is part of North Kolkata).[4][5] The supply reached the city via Tala and the first pipeline was installed in 1868[6] at a cost of ₹660,000 (equivalent to ₹290 million or US$3.4 million in 2023), having a capacity of 6,000,000 imperial gallons (27,000,000 litres) to cater a population of approximately 400,000.[3]

Tala tank in August 1911, after inauguration

Initially, Palta Water Works fed an underground reservoir at Wellington Square (now Subodh Chandra Mallick Square) in the city centre. It had a capacity of 790 thousand imperial gallons (3,600 cubic metres) which gradually became insufficient for the growing population. Supply from underground reservoirs proved to be challenging in terms of cost and time, and because of the very flat landscape in and around the city there was no suitable place to build a high reservoir. To ensure uninterrupted water supply to the city, the Assistant Engineer of Calcutta Corporation (now Kolkata Municipal Corporation or KMC), Arthur Peirce, conceived what became Tala tank in 1901.[7] The Chief Engineer of KMC, W. B. MacCabe, designed the tank in 1902. Having a nine-million-gallon water reservoir overhead was a daring proposition.[8] Edward Norman Baker, Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, commissioned the tank on 18 November 1909.[9]

Philanthropist Babu Khelat Ghosh donated around 7 bigha[10] [3–4 acres (12,000–16,000 m2)] of land for the construction.[11] The lane adjoining the tank was later named Khelat Babu Lane. M/s T K Mukherjee and Co.[b] did the piling work. The foundation of reinforced concrete was built by Rajendra Nath Mookerjee's company M/s Martin and Co. It was heavily ballasted and compressed using steamrollers. A barrier wall was built with two rows of 25–30 ft (8–9 m) long piles and concrete around the plinth so it did not spread.[8] Raw materials, wood and special anti-corrosive steel plates were brought from Burma (now Myanmar) and Middlesbrough, England,[15] respectively, and fabrication works were carried out on-site.[16] M/s Clayton, Son and Co. of Leeds, England carried out the work of fabricating and erecting the steel columns and tank. The flat top cover was made up of 66 millimetres (2.6 in) thick fine concrete, which was provided by Arracon Co. and Babu Kali Sunkar Mitter.[17] The construction work was completed by 12 January 1911 at a total cost of ₹1.1 million (equivalent to ₹360 million or US$4.3 million in 2023).[6][7] With new main pipelines and installations, the total cost of the tank was around US$1.55 million in 1911 (equivalent to $43.05 million in 2024).[18]

Connections from Palta waterworks to the Tala tank were made with 42 in (110 cm) diameter cast iron pipes that were laid along Barrackpore Trunk Road. Pumps in a large building at Palta drew water from the river and lifted it into large masonry tanks and the water reached the city under gravitational force at a rate of 11.5 inches per mile (18 cm/km).[4][19] The tank was designed to work as a water reserve for the main lines in the city.[8] It connected the Wellington Square reservoir via Circular Road and Dhurramtollah (now Dharmatala).[18]

### Threats

[edit]

The tank has survived several calamities since construction. The typical structure of the tank responded poorly to horizontal loading (wind, cyclones and earthquakes).[17] In 1934, it survived the 8.0 magnitude Nepal–India earthquake.[6][20] Another potential threat to the reservoir was the 2020 Cyclone Amphan, a Super Cyclonic Storm and one of the strongest storms to impact the area, since the 1999 Odisha cyclone.[21] KMC and Jadavpur University (JU) experts and engineers assessed the risk and devised a precautionary plan to save the tank from toppling. They suggested half-filling all four of the tank's chambers until the cyclone had passed and cutting the water supply from the reservoir to maintain the weight balance against high-velocity winds and gusts, because the tank is supported by columns with no anchorage. The super cyclone did not damage the reservoir.[11][22][23]

During the Second World War, the reservoir, along with the Howrah Bridge and Kolkata Port,[24] was under constant threat of Japanese aerial bombings on Calcutta. The British were worried about this because it was the city's biggest reservoir. To prevent it from being bombed, it is said that grass was planted on top of the tank so it resembled an open field from above.[25] Tala tank also endured bomb scares during the India-Pakistan Wars of 1947–1948 and 1965.[16] At the time of the 1964 East Pakistan riots rumours spread that the tank had been poisoned by the Muslims. Out of fear, people in the city started carrying soda bottles, instead of water.[26][27][28] A poison scare resurfaced in February 2011, when then Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that CPM party men might add poison to the tank and Palta waterworks. Central Industrial Security Force personnel were assigned to guard the tank as a security measure.[29]

### Renovation

[edit]

During Tala Tank's centenary in 2009, minor renovations were carried out. The first major overhaul was planned in 2013 with 2020 as the deadline after an assessment by IIEST Shibpur, JU, IIT Kharagpur and Central Electrochemical Research Institute experts that showed the tank's condition was deteriorating and that it needed an immediate overhaul. The estimated cost was ₹250 million (equivalent to ₹420 million or US$5.0 million in 2023), 200 times more than the tank's construction cost.[6][11] Signs of steel corrosion were evident at multiple areas of the chambers.[20] Up to 2020, the reservoir had developed fourteen leaks.[6][16] Vegetation had started to grow on the wooden sleepers and the sleepers had shifted from the original position.[30] The renovation work included works like structural member replacement and chamber strengthening, replacement of wooden top and base by mild steel plates.[31] The work was delayed multiple times, mainly due to lack of funds. Global tenders were placed in 2017 and work started in July 2017, with a cost estimate of ₹800 million (equivalent to ₹1.4 billion or US$16 million in 2023).[32] The Government of India bore 33% of the cost and the rest was borne by the Government of West Bengal and KMC.[33] Bridge and Roof Company was engaged to perform the overhaul. To compensate for the shortage of water during the renovation, existing pumps across the city's water network were upgraded and extra pumps were installed at Palta.[30] In 2017, KMC installed a leak detection system in the tank.[10] The first chamber renovation was completed and was opened on 19 June 2019 by the Mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim.[34][35][36] After the renovations are complete, this tank won't require any major repairs for another 100 years. As of December 2022, the deadline for completion of the renovation work was middle of 2023.[31]

The renovation of the old, damaged 14 mi (22.5 km) Palta-Tala pipeline was carried out by KMC and RITES Ltd. under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) at an estimated cost of ₹3.05 billion (equivalent to ₹5.7 billion or US$68 million in 2023) in 2009. The upgrade to 64 in (160 cm) diameter pipeline system was completed in 2012 and cost ₹3.26 billion (equivalent to ₹6.1 billion or US$73 million in 2023).[37][38][39]

## Structure

[edit]

Steel columns supporting the tank

Tala Tank is claimed to be the largest overhead reservoir in the world[20] was constructed on the 250-year-old[40] Barrackpore Trunk Road. It is a square, 110 ft (34 m) high, 321 ft (98 m) wide and 16 ft (4.9 m) deep structure,[9] that has a floor area of 321 sq ft (29.8 m2).[8] It is made of Burmese teak wood[7] and steel of the same quality that was used in RMS Titanic.[41] Because the soil's bearing capacity is limited due to silt below Kolkata, the tank was built upon a 2.5 ft (0.76 m) monolithic concrete bed weighing 26 thousand tonnes. The structure's piling uses 20–25 ft (6–8 m) logs with fragmented bricks (or "Jhama Khoa" in Bangla).[8] The 288–295, 88.5 ft (27 m) columns, which are embedded on a plinth that supports the tank, are made of galvanised steel. This steel structure has 49 four-legged trussed grouped columns, 14 six-legged trussed grouped columns, one nine-legged trussed grouped columns and one seven-legged trussed grouped columns supporting the source and supply pipe. The bottom of the reservoir rests on wooden sleepers above the columns with no bolts or welding.[7] The columns are braced in groups of four but no groups are inter-braced to provide flexibility to the structure and prevent it from vibrating.[42] It has American roofing material, supported with steel beams (resting on steel joists) that helps keep the water cool and clean.[43][44] The eaves are covered with brass gauze to deny access to birds and insects.[8][17]

Structural plan of the tank

The tank is unique; it acts as a balancer.[8] Having a single 60 in (150 cm) diameter mild steel riveted water source and a supply pipe that fills the tank during off-peak hours[c] and stores water in four equally sized, isolated chambers and supplies it to the city and other major underground reservoirs according to demand. The water pressure from Tala assists the pumps to fulfil the main line's demand.[18] The chambers were made independent by cross frames to individually facilitate maintenance in each chamber without hampering the water supply.[20] The pipes open into a common compartment, which is fitted with eight penstock gates (two gates for each storage chamber).[17] The total capacity of the tank is 9.9 million imperial gallons (45,000 cubic metres). It weighs 36 thousand tonnes empty and 48.5 thousand tonnes when full.[8] The whole tank with the support weighs 44 thousand tonnes while the steel components weigh 8,500 t.[6][7] Tala Tank can store enough water to satisfy the needs of Kolkata and the adjacent residential-cum-business district Salt Lake City for two days.[16]

## See also

[edit]

* Water supply and sanitation in India

## Note

[edit]

1. ^ Lal Dighi is a Bangla word meaning "Red Pond". It is a 25-acre (10-hectare) pond in Kolkata, built by the British who used to call it "The Great Tank", "Tank Square" or "Dalhousie Square"[1][2]
2. ^ M/s or Messrs, pronounced /ˈmɛsərz/,[12][13] In India, messieurs is abbreviated as M/S or M/s, especially as a prefix to the name of a firm.[14]
3. ^ Off-peak refers to the period when demand is less than the maximum or not at the most popular time.[45]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Lal Dighi". Incredible India. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
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4. ^ a b Zohar, Zvi (2013). Rabbinic Creativity in the Modern Middle East (1st ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing (published 20 June 2013). p. 20\. ISBN 978-1-4725-1150-8. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
5. ^ "Indira Gandhi Water Works – A brief Overview". kmcgov.in. Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
6. ^ a b c d e f Hati, Priyabrata; Roy, Gourab; Bhattacharyya, Indraditya; Kundu, Debraj; Sengupta, Debodyuti (July 2020). "Present Scenario of Water Supply in Kolkata" (PDF). Department of Civil Engineering, Meghnad Saha Institute of Technology. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology. 7 (7). Kolkata: irjet.net: 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
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16. ^ a b c d Ganguly, Deepankar (2 July 2013). "A century later, timeout for Tallah CMC tanks up for task – World's largest overhead water reservoir due for its first overhaul". telegraphindia.com. Kolkata: The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
17. ^ a b c d Dey, Ayanangshu (1 February 2022). "Challenges of retrofitting the world's biggest elevated water reservoir: Tala tank of Calcutta". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering History and Heritage. 175 (1): 21–32\. doi:10.1680/jenhh.20.00019. ISSN 1757-9430. S2CID 234881923.
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21. ^ Nandi, Jayashree; Thakur, Joydeep (18 May 2020). "Amphan transforming into super cyclone, first after deadly 1999 super cyclone in Bay of Bengal". hindustantimes.com. New Delhi: Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
22. ^ Ray, Saikat (27 May 2020). "Kolkata: JU-KMC operation shielded world's largest overhead water tank from cyclone Amphan". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Kolkata: The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
23. ^ Chakrabarty, Sucheta (26 May 2020). "বুড়ো হাড়েই ভেলকি, ওজন বাড়িয়ে আমফানকে গোল দিল টালা ট্যাঙ্ক" [The old Tala Tank juggles and scores a goal against Amphan by increasing its weight]. sangbadpratidin.in (in Bengali). Kolkata: Sangbad Pratidin. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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26. ^ Ghosh, Amitav (2002). The Shadow Lines. Atlantic Publisher and Distributor Ltd. p. 79\. ISBN 9788126901951. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
27. ^ Bhatnagar, O. P. (2007). Indian Political Novel in English. Sarup & Sons. p. 201\. ISBN 978-81-7625-799-2. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
28. ^ Basu, Raja (2014–2015). "Recounting Communal Violence and Countering Meta-Narratives" (PDF). Journal of the Department of English. 12. Vidyasagar University: 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
29. ^ Das, Sreecheta (11 February 2011). "CISF guards at Tala, Palta tanks soon – Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Kolkata: The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
30. ^ a b "Tallah tales: inside the Goliath's belly". telegraphindia.com. Kolkata: The Telegraph. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
31. ^ a b NANDI, SOUMITRA (27 December 2022). "Tala Tank renovation to get over by mid of 2023". www.millenniumpost.in. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
32. ^ Ray, Saikat (17 June 2018). "Tallah tank repair: Heat halts 108-year-old Tallah tank repair". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Kolkata: The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
33. ^ Ghosh, Anup; Chattopadhay, Koushik (7 January 2017). "শতায়ুর জীর্ণ শরীরে এ বার নতুন প্রলেপ" [This time a new coating on the worn body of the Centurion]. anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Anandabazar Patrika. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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35. ^ "সংস্কারের পরে জল ভরা শুরু টালার প্রকোষ্ঠে" [Chamber of the Tala Tank started filling with water after the renovation]. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Kolkata. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
36. ^ Ray, Saikat (13 March 2021). "Kolkata: Tallah tank renovation deadline pushed to October". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Kolkata: The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
37. ^ "Chief Minister inaugurates new pipeline project at Tala, reiterates on recycle wastes to protect Ganga pollution". aitcofficial.org. All India Trinamool Congress. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
38. ^ "Inauguration of Palta to Tallah transmission Main". kmcgov.in. Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
39. ^ City Disaster Management Plan of Kolkata (PDF). Vol. 1\. Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation. 2018 [2008]. p. 50\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
40. ^ "18th century BT Road's transformation documented". indianexpress.com. Kolkata: The Indian Express. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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[edit]

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* Eastern Railway
* South Eastern Railway
* Trams in Kolkata
* Kolkata LRTS
* Howrah railway station
* Kolkata railway station
* Sealdah railway station
* Shalimar railway station
* Kolkata Monorail

Sea|

* Port of Kolkata

Air|

* Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport
* List of airports

Culture|

* Kolkata Book Fair
* Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk
* Calcutta Youth Choir
* Coffee House
* Dwarkin
* Festivals
* Kolkata International Film Festival
* Dover Lane Music Conference
* Kolkata in the media
* Music of Bengal
* Nandan
* Priya
* Rabindra Nritya Natya
* Rabindra Sangeet
* Ritwik Ghatak
* Satyajit Ray
* Feluda
* Byomkesh Bakshi
* Ghanada
* Prostitution in Kolkata
* Tenida
* Tollywood
* Ghosts in Bengali culture
* Adda
* Rabindra Tirtha
* Nazrul Tirtha
* Mishti Hub
* Football
* Kolkata derby
* Group theatre of Kolkata

| Ethnic enclaves|

* Bow Barracks (Anglo-Indian)
* Chinatown, Kolkata (Chinese)
* Tangra, Kolkata (Chinese)
* Zakaria Street (Bihari Muslim)
* Armani-para (Armenian)

|

Places of
worship|

| Hindu|

* Belur Math
* Birla Mandir, Kolkata
* Dakshineswar Kali Temple
* Kalighat
* Kripamayee Kali Temple
* Baranagar Math
* Alambazar Math

|

Christian|

* St. Paul's Cathedral
* Holy Rosary Cathedral (Portuguese Church)
* St. John's Church
* Parasnath Temple

Others|

* Nakhoda Mosque
* Tipu Sultan Mosque
* Chinese temples in Kolkata
* Magen David Synagogue

Sports|

* ATK
* Barasat Stadium
* B.C. Roy Trophy
* Beighton Cup
* Bengal cricket team
* Bhawanipore FC
* Calcutta Cricket and Football Club
* Calcutta Polo Club
* Calcutta South Club
* Bengal Tigers
* Calcutta Cricket and Football Club
* Calcutta Football League
* Dalhousie AC
* East Bengal FC
* East Bengal Ground
* Eastern Railway FC
* Eden Gardens
* Indian Football Association
* IFA Shield
* Kalighat Milan Sangha FC
* Kishore Bharati Krirangan
* Kolkata derby
* Kolkata Knight Riders
* Kolkata Police Friendship Cup Football Tournament
* Kolkata Vipers
* Mohammedan Sporting Club
* Mohammedan Sporting Ground
* Mohun Bagan Super Giant
* Mohun Bagan Ground
* Netaji Indoor Stadium
* Indian Arrows
* United SC
* Rabindra Sarobar Stadium
* Salt Lake Stadium
* Sunfeast Open
* Southern Samity
* Subroto Cup
* Aryan FC
* Tollygunge Agragami FC
* West Bengal football team

Other topics|

* Adwaita
* Zoological Garden, Alipore
* Bengal Club
* Calcutta Club
* Calcutta Rowing Club
* Central Forensic Science Laboratory
* Chinese of Calcutta
* Early phase of printing in Calcutta
* Electoral constituencies
* List of people from Kolkata
* Fort William
* Hooghly River
* Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden
* Maidan
* Missionaries of Charity
* Princeton Club
* Rabindra Sarobar
* Royal Calcutta Golf Club
* Sonagachi
* South Park Street Cemetery
* Tollygunge Club
* Tala tank

* Category

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