Tanks of Bombay

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Tanks of Bombay" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Banganga Tank during the Banganga Festival The Framjee Cowasjee hall is built over the Framjee Cowasjee tank

Although the tanks have long vanished, the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) once had many water tanks within its city limits. They were once the only source of water to the city. The only testimony to their existence is the names of the roads in their vicinity, which befuddles many citizens as to the original location to these mystifying relics of the past.

The oldest tank was the Cowasjee Patel Tank built in 1775. A total of ten tanks were built between the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The tanks were named after philanthropic citizens who donated money to fund the building of these tanks so that the citizens of the city would get a fresh source of drinking water. The tanks were:

1. Cowasji Rustamji Patel Tank (CP Tank)
2. Gowalia Tank
3. Khara Tank
4. Two Tanks
5. Babula Tank
6. Nawab Tank
7. Framjee Cowasji Tank
8. Mumbadevi Tank
9. Banganga Tank
10. Bandra Tank

Out of the list only the Banganga Tank and the Bandra Tank are still in existence today.

## Locations

[edit]

The CP Tank was built by Cowasji Rustamjee Patel in the Girgaon vicinity in 1775. The Framji Cowasji Tank bordered Esplanade was built by Framji Cowasji in 1831. All that remains of the tank is a plaque on a wall opposite Metro Cinema in South Mumbai.

The Babula Tank was built near Grant Medical College and the Mumbadevi Tank was constructed by a pious woman named Putlibai. The Banganga Tank has been present since ancient times, said to be from the time of Rama, and is fed by a natural spring although it is only a few decametres from the seashore. The Bandra Tank was built by a rich Kokni Muslim of Village Navpada, and was in use for watering cattle and washing clothes.

## History

[edit]

The tanks were mostly constructed in the crowded areas and were prone to pollution. The scarcity of water was acute at that time and was left to the mercy of the monsoon rains. According to the Bombay City Gazetteer published in 1909, these tanks were often very low and had to be replenished by sinking new wells.

In 1846, the city faced an acute water shortage following which Framji Cowasji sank three wells in its gardens to provide water by steam machinery. Later in 1856, the city faced a severe drought, and an edict was set out relocating all cattle to Mahim, which was the periphery of the city at that time. Thousands would gather daily around the tank at Esplanade to collect water, while the government brought thousands of water drums from far off distances to empty into wells at Bori Bunder, Chinch Bunder, and Dongri.

After a regular water supply to the city was established from the Vihar and Tulsi lakes, the tanks were declared redundant. They soon became a breeding ground for mosquitoes and consequently were filled in. The famous Gowalia Tank Maidan is on top of the original tank.

* v
* t
* e

Mumbai topics

History|

* Timeline
* Shilahara dynasty
* Bombay Presidency
* Seven Islands of Bombay
* Elephanta Caves
* Banganga Tank
* Old Bombay
* Worli Fort
* Girangaon
* Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti
* Tanks
* Growth of Mumbai
* 1992–93 riots
* 1993 bombings
* 2008 attacks
* Terrorism

Geography|

* Powai Lake
* Vihar Lake
* Tulsi Lake
* Thane Creek
* Mahim Bay
* Back Bay
* Mithi River
* Ulhas River
* Gilbert Hill
* Malabar Hill
* Salsette Island
* Mumbai Harbour
* Middle Ground
* Climate
* Beaches
* Eastern Suburbs
* Western Suburbs
* South Mumbai
* Neighbourhoods

Buildings|

* Architecture of Mumbai
* Gateway of India
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
* Naval Dockyard
* Bombay Stock Exchange
* Hutatma Chowk
* General Post Office
* Shreepati Arcade
* Siddhivinayak Temple
* Regal Cinema
* Mount Mary's Church
* Haji Ali Dargah
* Flora Fountain
* David Sassoon Library
* Mumba Devi Temple
* Mahalaxmi Temple
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Prince of Wales Museum)
* National Gallery of Modern Art
* The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
* Jehangir Art Gallery
* Gowalia Tank
* Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
* Mahim Church
* Usha Kiran Building
* Jinnah Mansion

Transport|

* Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST)
* Mumbai Suburban Railway
* Central Line
* Harbour Line
* Port Line
* Trans-Harbour Line
* Western Line
* Central Railway
* Western Railway
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
* Bandra Terminus and suburban station
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
* Dadar railway station and suburban station
* Lokmanya Tilak Terminus
* Mumbai Central railway station
* Juhu Aerodrome
* Auto rickshaw
* Metro
* Line 1
* Line 2
* Line 3
* Line 4
* Line 5
* Line 6
* Line 7
* Line 8
* Line 9
* Line 10
* Line 11
* Line 12
* Line 13
* Monorail
* Skywalk
* Western railway elevated corridor
* Water transport
* Mumbai Bus Rapid Transit System
* Mumbai Urban Transport Project

Roads|

* Airoli Bridge
* Altamount Road
* Bandra–Worli Sea Link
* Carmichael Road
* Colaba Causeway
* Coastal Road (under construction)
* Currey Road Bridge
* Dadabhai Naoroji Road
* Eastern Express Highway
* Eastern Freeway
* Fashion Street
* Hughes Road
* Jeejabai Bhosle Marg
* JVLR
* Kalwa Bridge
* Linking Road
* Lady Jamshetjee Road
* LBS Marg
* Lamington Road
* Mahim Causeway
* Marine Drive
* MTHL
* Nepean Sea Road
* P D'Mello Road
* Pedder Road
* Princess Street
* SCLR
* SV Road
* Sahar Elevated Access Road
* Sion Panvel Highway
* Vashi Bridge
* Versova–Bandra Sea Link
* Veera Desai Road
* Western Express Highway

Economy|

* Bombay Stock Exchange
* National Stock Exchange of India
* Reserve Bank of India
* Mint
* Dalal Street
* Nariman Point

Education
and research|

| Universities
and colleges|

* University of Mumbai (MU)
* SNDT Women's University
* IIT Bombay (IIT-B)
* Institute of Chemical Technology (formerly UDCT)
* Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI)
* NITIE
* Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS)
* Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute
* SP Jain Institute of Management and Research
* Dr. Homi Bhabha State University
* Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education(SIMSREE)
* NMIMS
* Mithibai College
* St. Xavier's College
* Sathaye College
* Ramnarain Ruia College
* D. G. Ruparel College
* Ramniranjan Anandilal Podar College of Commerce and Economics
* Mulund College of Commerce
* V. G. Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce
* Sir J. J. School of Art

|

Schools|

* Balmohan Vidyamandir
* Bombay Scottish School
* Campion School
* Cathedral and John Connon School
* Dhirubhai Ambani International School
* Don Bosco High School
* Dr. Antonio Da Silva High School
* Holy Family High School
* Lilavatibai Podar High School
* R. N. Podar School
* Sacred Heart Boys High School
* Jamnabai Narsee School
* Utpal Shanghvi Global School
* Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
* Raja Shivaji Vidyalaya (King George High School)
* St. Theresa's Boys High School
* J.B. Petit High School for Girls

Institutes for science
and learning|

* Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
* Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
* Nehru Planetarium
* Nehru Science Centre
* Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
* Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CBS)

Civic|

* Mayor
* Police Commissioner
* Municipal Commissioner
* Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
* Greater Mumbai Police
* Wards
* Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport
* Demographics
* Water sources
* Bombay High Court
* Sheriff

Culture|

* Art Deco
* Marathi
* Mumbaiya/Bombaiya/Bambaiya
* Dabbawalas
* Eggs Kejriwal
* Mumbaikar
* Street food
* Vada pav
* Bhel puri
* Sev puri
* Dahi puri
* Panipuri
* Ragda pattice
* Cultural centres
* Cinemas
* Kala Ghoda festival
* Prostitution in Mumbai
* Mumbai Marathon
* Mumbai Pride
* Tourist attractions
* Little Bombay, Jersey City, US

Religion|

* Jainism in Mumbai
* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
* History of the Jews in Mumbai
* List of churches in Mumbai
* Anglican Diocese of Bombay
* Mumbai Orthodox Diocese

Other topics|

* Dharavi
* Kamathipura
* Mumbai High Field
* People from Mumbai
* Seal Ashram

* Category
* Commons

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template