How Deolali cantonment has retained its charm

Simon Bhandare has worked at the Deolali cantonment for 40 years. While a lot has changed in that time, he says, the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful weather of Deolali remain the same.

“I come from neighbouring Nashik, and the changes in the weather there are not visible here,” he says. “The atmosphere in Deolali today is just as it was 40 years ago, thanks to the green surroundings.”

The pleasant weather, perhaps, was the reason why the British set up base here. Deolali is perched on a 2,000ft high plateau on the banks of the river Darna. It was established as a class one cantonment in 1869. A year later, the Deolali camp was opened as a main depot for the arrival and departure of troops.

“The temperature in Deolali is moderate through the year,” notes Rahul Gajbhiye, CEO of the Deolali Cantonment Board. “Deolali was set up as a transit camp for British troops, who would acclimatise themselves here before being deputed to various places around the country.”

The place some called ‘Doolally’ back then also served as the departure port for the British military, with soldiers waiting for days and months for their next ship home. Several sanatoriums were also built here for exhausted and ailing soldiers, who were suffering from, as the British called it, ‘Doolally tap’. Tap means fever in Marathi. As you enter Deolali, its main Lam Road is still dotted with sanatoriums, many of them built by the Gujarati and the Parsi communities. Usually, the elderly or those with various ailments come here to relax and recuperate. “Especially, patients suffering from tuberculosis used to be treated here,” recalls Bhandare. The number of sanatoriums over the years has only increased, he says.

Deolali was also a training hub for British troops during World War I. In 1905, the Army Staff College was set up here. A few years later, it was moved to Quetta in Pakistan. After partition, India’s Defence Services Staff College was set up at Wellington in the Nilgiri mountains. However, the School of Artillery is still located in Deolali. A premier institution of the Army, it offers various diploma, degree and postgraduate courses in subjects such as weapon systems. It also evaluates new equipment for induction and develops new doctrine for application of artillery fire.

Over time, a lot of civilians came and settled here, in part providing support and services to the military camp. As per the 2011 census, Deolali had a population of 54,000. Of these, 14,000 are military personnel, says Gajbhiye.

Over the last few decades, the nearby Nashik city has developed and expanded fast, with several companies like Mahindra & Mahindra setting up shop. It also has the government’s currency printing press, and is known for its wine. Over time, farm lands have given way to constructions, and Nashik is now almost at the doorstep of Deolali.

But, the Deolali cantonment still retains its charm. One reason is the restrictions on large constructions. “Our FSI (floor space index) is very low, 0.5 only,” says Gajbhiye. “So, if you have a 1,000sqft plot, you can only construct over 500sqft. There are height restrictions here as well, mainly due to the presence of the military camp.”

Deolali may well change in the future, what with the Union government’s proposal to separate military and civilian areas. The people of Deolali await their fate. “The proposal is to hand over the administration of the civilian areas of Deolali to the state,” says Gajbhiye. “This proposal is pending with the state government.”

Whether Deolali is merged into the Nashik Municipal Corporation or whether a separate local body is created needs to be seen. All that the residents here hope for is that the charm and peaceful life that Deolali has retained over many decades continue in the future.