Clock tower’s sound will be heard again

Team Udayavani, Sep 28, 2019, 7:52 AM IST

Mangaluru: Once considered to be that focal point of the city, the clock tower, once again after many years is getting ready to start functioning. The new clock tower being constructed at Hampankatta under the Smart City initiative has now reached its final stages and the work on installing the clock is in progress. The specialty of the clock is that it has been manufactured in Italy. On Thursday, the clocks were installed on the three sides of the tower, the work on installing the hands of the clck and the last clock is in progress.

The equipment that will be used in the clocks with a circumference of 88 feet have been imported from Italy. It has a micro-processor that can make 8 different bell tolling sounds and the facility has been made to make a single sound. Acrylic sheet, stainless steel and ACP sheets have been used in the creation of the clock.

The clock installed at the clock tower have been designed by Chandra Nayak and his son Siddanth Nayak of Nayak Time shop located at Marnamikatte. Vaman Nayak who created Nayak Clocks in 1930, created the clock for the Kudla clock tower in 1964.

One machine

It was a completely mechanized clock and had to be wound once in a week. Only one machine controlled all the four clocks. But after some years, the entire clock tower was brought down. Thus the clock tower was forgotten. Now, once again the clock tower is standing at the very same spot.

Bell to toll per hour

Every hour the bell at the clock tower will ring and a signal will also be given every 30 minutes. The locks will be placed at a height of 75 feet and a width of 14 feet. Three batteries will be placed. 400 watt capacity bulbs have been installed in the rear of the clock.