New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale said on Tuesday that the Maharashtra government has granted in-principle approval to his proposal aimed at renaming eight local railway stations in Mumbai, which currently bear names dating back to the British colonial era. Following this approval, the proposal is slated to proceed to the Union government after obtaining the endorsement of the state cabinet, said the MP from Mumbai South-Central constituency in a release.
However, city chronicler Bharat Gothoskar pointed out that not all of the existing names have colonial origins. One station's name, in fact, stems from a Marathi term denoting "grazing land." Despite this, Shewale has advocated for renaming several stations, Curry Road, Sandhurst Road, Cotton Green, Dockyard Road, and Kings Circle on the Central Railway network would be renamed as Lalbaug, Dongari, Kalachowki, Mazgaon, and Tirthkar Parshwanath stations, respectively, reported PTI.
On the Western Railway network, Marine Lines, Charni Road, and Mumbai Central would be rechristened as Mumbadevi, Girgaon, and Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth stations, he said.
The state government has taken the initiative to propose renaming Mumbai Central station as Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth station to the Union. "The Union government is trying to erase the markers of colonial rule and there was a public demand to change the British names of railway stations", the MP said in the release.
'History Attached To Them'
Bharat Gothoskar, founder of the Khaki Heritage Foundation, said the names of railway stations, roads or intersections should not be changed as they have history attached to them. Some of the station names, like Charni Road and Marine Lines, do not have any colonial connection, he pointed out.
Bharat Gothoskar underscores the historical significance behind certain station names in Mumbai. For instance, Charni Road derives its name from a Marathi term meaning "grazing ground for cattle," while Marine Lines is associated with the nearby barracks near Dhobi Talao.
These names lack any colonial connotations. Interestingly, stations like Grand Road and Reay Road, named after British governors, have remained unchanged, as per PTI.
In 2017, the Union government initiated renaming efforts, exemplified by the transformation of Elphinstone Road station into Prabhadevi station, honoring the nearby Prabhadevi temple. Additionally, the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus underwent a name modification, now recognized as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). It was once known as Victoria Terminus, after Queen Victoria of Great Britain.