After remaining out of operation for nearly two years following court interventions, the Futala Musical Fountain is now on track for completion by November, with the restoration team promising a completely re-imagined attraction rather than a simple repair.
The international experts leading the project said the iconic waterfront attraction is being rebuilt from the ground up, with almost every component either replaced or redesigned to deliver a world-class audio-visual experience.
European project head Basile de Schrynmakers and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Alphonse Roy, who is serving as the project’s technical director, said the revamped fountain will feature a new concept that goes far beyond restoring the earlier installation.
The redevelopment includes replacement of cables, pumps and nozzles, a redesigned fountain choreography, projection mapping, and newly created animations showcasing Nagpur’s history. Roy said the upgraded attraction will combine multiple projection technologies to create an immersive experience across the Futala waterfront.
Explaining the prolonged restoration, Basile said the extended shutdown had caused extensive damage to the fountain’s electrical and communication infrastructure due to prolonged exposure to water and changing weather conditions.
“One of the biggest challenges stemmed from the shutdown, necessitating an extensive revamp rather than simple repairs,” he said.
To improve the system’s durability, the project team sought technical guidance from IIT Bombay while redesigning the underground cable network. Project Management Consultant Satish Salpekar said experts recommended installing heavy-duty three-layer insulated cables for the electrical, communication and control systems after studying the site’s operating conditions.
The upgraded network spans nearly 80 km to 100 km, linking projectors, lighting systems, pumps, control units and other equipment installed across the lakefront. Since materials arrived in multiple consignments, each section had to be individually laid, joined, insulated and thoroughly tested before being routed through underground ducts and underwater passages.
Basile said the installation demanded exceptional precision, as even minor water seepage into cable joints could compromise the entire system over time.
“Every joint had to be sealed with extreme precision, as even minor water ingress could compromise the entire system over time. The larger diameter and increased weight of the cables also meant redesigning portions of the underground conduit network and adopting more meticulous installation procedures, adding significantly to the project’s execution time while ensuring a more robust and reliable system for the years ahead,” he said.
With civil and technical work progressing steadily, the project team will now focus on completing the remaining installations, integrating visual programming and carrying out multiple technical trials before the Futala Musical Fountain reopens in its new avatar, which is expected by November.
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