Indian Railways has partnered with Google to enrich the wait times for their daily users by bringing them rich cultural stories via video installations at Mumbai’s CSMT Station. This Iconic station building is UNESCO World Heritage Site and has witnessed the developments in the city since 1887. The installations will be onsite for the next two months for the public in transit to watch videos that spark travellers’ curiosity while enabling a moment of calm and delight as they wait for the next train in one of India’s busiest stations.
The videos are from the Google Arts & Culture platform (g.co/artsandculture), Google’s online platform for the world’s culture. The screens invite daily commuters and long-distance travellers to explore India’s cultural heritage, its beauty and treasures. You can learn about artworks from the National Museum’s world-renowned Miniature Paintings and Bronze Sculpture collections, see Rabindranath Tagore’s paintings at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial Hall and browse thousands of rare digital exhibits from museums across India and abroad.
The initiative was unveiled by Shri D.K. Sharma, General Manager, Central Railway, Shri R.K. Verma, Secretary, Railway Board, Mr. Ben Gomes, Vice President (Search), Google and Patron of Google Arts and Culture, Principal Heads of Departments of Central Railway, Shri Subrata Nath, Executive Director (Heritage) and other officials.
On viewing these treasures in high resolution, you can experience the galleries of these iconic institutions through 360 degree panoramas. This immersive technology also enables travellers to get a glimpse of some of India’s greatest monuments in 360 degrees, like the Red Fort, the Ajanta Caves, and the highlight – a never-available-before vista from atop the Taj Mahal’s Minar.
Ben Gomes, Vice President at Google said: “We hope everyone traveling through the station will find something new and interesting from India’s rich, diverse, and fascinating cultural heritage. In addition to provoking a sense of visual delight through access to immensely rich heritage and bringing forth those “Oh! I didn’t know” moments, the showcase will also bring a moment of lightness and calm to those who get caught up in the rush of our days. We are proud to partner with Indian Railways and use the power of technology to bring to India’s most active and historic station the arts and artefacts of this beautiful country.”
Shri R.K.Verma, Secretary, Railway Board shared: Indian Railways is looking for innovative ways to get closer to their users and share their fascinating heritage with them. We are glad to have Google as a partner in this endeavour.
Shri D.K. Sharma, General Manager, Central Railway said: Now courtesy Google Arts & Culture’s technology, we’ve been able to bring people closer to Indian Railways’ historic masterpieces than ever before, and open up our heritage to millions and millions of daily commuters and long–distance travellers, to explore India’s cultural heritage, its beauty and treasures.
