At New Market clock tower, it is the mystery of the missing weights
Times of India | 8 February 2026
Kolkata: Two cast iron weights — each weighing around 20 kg to 25 kg — disappeared from the New Market clock tower, which is undergoing restoration.
This comes after 228 shower heads were found missing from bathrooms at Oberoi Grand Hotel during the ongoing renovation work. The clock at New Market had 22 weights.
While the restoration of the tower is complete, the overhaul of the century-old clock is underway.
The clock is expected to start full-fledged operations next week.
The missing weights are part of the elaborate four-faced Gillett & Johnston Westminster clock mechanism that regulates the time, hourly dongs, and quarterly chimes. The absence of these weights can send the clock's time, and hence the chimes and dongs, haywire. Speaking to TOI, Satyajit Dutta, who, along with his father Swapan Dutta, is reviving the clock, said the two weights were found to be missing when the clock's mechanism, which was dismantled to carry out extensive repairs, was reassembled in the third week of Jan to carry out the first trial. The second trial was conducted on Saturday. "The weights are important for the proper functioning of the clock. Since it is not possible to get cast iron weights, we are fusing steel sheets to make the weights," said Satyajit. While there are eight weights for regulating the time, there are around 12 weights for the quarterly chime that rings every 15 minutes and seven weights for the hourly strike. The two missing weights are from the hourly strike.
Conservation architect Anjan Mitra said after the theft was spotted, security was beefed up at the site, and the doorway that leads to the tower was padlocked. "The incident has disturbed everyone. We need to ensure the safety of the clock mechanism so that no more parts get pilfered," he said.
The restored clock tower is poised to be handed over to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) market department. Mitra is anxious that the civic body puts in place an SOP on the tower and clock's maintenance and management.
"A clock of this antiquity requires regular maintenance. Even the tower will have to be cared for and repairs carried out on time in future. Otherwise, this conservation effort will go to waste," said Mitra. "The terrace linked to the clock tower is in an extremely vulnerable condition and requires repair. We will submit a proposal on its repair soon," he added.