At a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, the Maharashtra government decided to rename eight Mumbai railway stations with British-era names.
Here are the names of the railway stations to be renamed:
- Mumbai Central to be named after philanthropist Jagannath Shankar Seth.
- Curry Road to be renamed Lalbagh.
- Sandhurst Road will become Dongri.
- Marine Lines to be named Mumba Devi.
- Charni Road to become Girgaon.
- Cotton Green to be known as Black Chowki.
- Kings Circle might soon be called Tirthankara Parshvanath.
- Dockyard Road will be renamed Mazgaon.
However, MP Rahul Shewale announced that the Maha government approved his proposal to rename the above-listed names of the Railway stations. He said further that the proposal will now be sent to the Centre for approval.
Historian Bharat Gothoskar has highlighted that not all of the proposed railway stations have colonial origins. One station, in particular, is named after a Marathi term meaning “grazing land.” He noted that certain stations, such as Charni Road and Marine Lines, hold local significance, and despite public demand, he advocated against changing their names.
In another development, the Maharashtra cabinet has approved the acquisition of 2.5 acres of land in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, indicating the establishment of a Maharashtra Bhavan. Additionally, the Ahmednagar district is slated to be renamed Ahilya Nagar. The cabinet has also sanctioned the construction of a sea link connecting Uttan (Bhayander) and Virar (Palghar).
