Centre nod to rename Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Elphinstone Road station
The state government, which received a letter from the Union home ministry giving its consent, is now expected to soon issue a notification about the name changes and it would be followed by grand ceremonies to rename the two railway stations
One of Mumbai’s famous landmarks, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), will soon be renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Elphinstone Road station will be known as Prabhadevi. The Central government gave its nod on Saturday to the recommendations, which were unanimously passed through a resolution by the Maharashtra Assembly during its winter session in December.
The state government, which received a letter from the Union home ministry giving its consent, is now expected to soon issue a notification about the name changes and it would be followed by grand ceremonies to rename the two railway stations.
“We have received the letters from the Centre, saying it has no objection. My department will issue the notification on Monday followed by grand functions to rename the stations. The Centre will then be intimated about the actual changes,” transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote told HT.
“It is the responsibility of the Railways to change the names on boards and that too will be done at the earliest.”
The Shiv Sena had demanded addition of Maharaj to CST as a mark of respect to the Maratha king. In case of Elphinstone Road – named after Lord Elphinstone, the governor of Bombay from 1853 to 1860 – Raote had first moved a renaming proposal in 1991. The state wants Elphinstone Road renamed Prabhadevi in honour of the deity.
The Sena has also demanded renaming Charni Road station as Girgaum and Grant Road station as Jagannath Shankar Seth Road.
The Assembly resolution had recommended adding Maharaj in the name of Chhatrapti Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) too. Sources in Mantralaya said that proposal was sent by general administration department (GAD) to the Union home ministry and hence the Centre will intimate the state about it separately.