The tug-of-war over the UNESCO-listed World Heritage building of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is pulling it to pieces, literally.

In what can be termed as the first major damage to it in recent years, a pillar and decorative works on the main south facade broke off a day after railway employees staged a protest against the proposal to convert the structure into a world-class transport museum. Officials said that trade unions had tied banners to the pillar in question, and put up loudspeakers on it, which can be seen in numerous photographs of the protest.