8 British-era railway stations in Mumbai to get a makeover with new names but why?

The Maharashtra government is planning to rename 8 British-era railway stations in Mumbai and here are the projected names that the stations will get and what they mean. 

Mumbai Local, the lifeline of Mumbaikars, is abuzz with its unusual events every day. From the first-ever steam engine train in 1853 to the latest developments for AC locals, the history of Mumbai Railways has witnessed dynamic changes. The acclaimed organization is once again in the news with a proposal from the Maharashtra government to change the names of a few British-era railway stations due to public demand. Here are the names of 8 railway stations that are going to be renamed, their history with Mumbai locals, and the new names they are likely going to get.

Mumbai Central to be renamed Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth Railway Station

We all know that what is now called ‘Mumbai Central’ was referred to as ‘Bombay Central’ up until 2017, after which the government decided to disassociate the station from its British colonial name. Now, the station is once again set to receive a new name, which is associated with the revolutionary social worker and philanthropist, ‘Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth.’ The name has been chosen as a token of respect for Nana Jagannath’s work in improving the conditions of vulnerable sections of society. Due to his efforts in founding the Elphinstone Education Society, Poona Native Institution, and Bombay Native Education Society, the government has decided to change the name of the centrally located railway station of the Mumbai local

Curry Road to be renamed Lalbagh Railway Station

The station, originally constructed to transport horses by train during the British Raj and named after Charles Currey, the agent of the Bombay Baroda and Central Indian Railway from 1865 to 1875, is now slated to receive a new name. It is likely to be renamed Lalbaug. The most probable reason for this choice is the proximity of the famous Ganesh Mandap of Mumbai - ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’ - to the Curry Road Railway Station.

Sandhurst Road to be renamed Dongri Railway Station

The station, originally named after the erstwhile English Governor of Bombay, Lord Sandhurst, is set to receive a new name associated with the most famous place in that area. Residents of Mumbai must have visited or at least heard about Dongri, and now that name is going to be bestowed upon the major connecting point between the Central and Harbour lines: Sandhurst Railway Station.

Marine Lines to be renamed Mumba Devi Railway Station

The station that leads to the revered Queens Necklace, officially known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, a fact known by very few people, is set to receive a new name. Much like most of us were not acquainted with the official name of the famous Marine Drive, the railway station is going to be named ‘Mumba Devi.’ The name of the Mumba Devi temple, dedicated to the goddess Mumba Devi, is likely to be bestowed upon the Marine Lines railway station.

Cotton Green likely to be renamed Kalachowki Railway Station 

The Cotton Green Railway station on the central line, named after the famous Cotton Exchange Building in the area and a series of warehouses to store grains, is soon going to be renamed. The term "green" for the station is believed to have been derived from the mint green color of the Cotton Exchange building, which has now changed to brown. The government is planning to change the name of this railway station to Kalachowki Railway Station because of the Kalachowki police station in that area.

Dockyard Road to be renamed Mazgaon Railway Station 

This one is a no-brainer in terms of how it got its name. The station was named because of the famous Dockyard present in that area, which is also famously known as Mazgaon. Now, it is set to be renamed with the same name as Mazgaon Railway Station after receiving approval from the central government for this proposal.

Kings Circle to be renamed Tirthankara Parshvanath Railway Station 

Kings Cirlce Railway Station which was named after the hotspot Kings Cirlce Park, which was named after George V, the King-Emperor is going to get a shift from a British name to a religious name associated with Jainism. The station is possibly slated to be named Tirthankara Parshvanath Railway Station deriving its name from the 23rd of 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism Parshvanath.

Charni Road to be renamed Girgaon Railway Station 

"Charni," possibly derived from the Marathi word ‘Charne’ which means grazing, is the current name of the Charni Road Railway Station. This name may soon undergo a makeover and be renamed Girgaon Railway Station because of the popular beach, Girgaon Chowpatty.

This is not the first instance of railway stations being renamed in Mumbai. Previously, Elphinstone Road, named after Lord Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay Presidency, was changed to Prabhadevi due to the nearby temple of Goddess Prabhadevi. Similarly, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), once named Victoria Terminus after Queen Victoria of Great Britain, was renamed after public demand for a change in names influenced by British colonialism.

However, there have been some protests regarding this decision. Bharat Gothoskar, founder of the Khaki Heritage Foundation, pointed out that certain station names like Charni Road and Marine Lines do not have any colonial connection, and thus, there was no need to change their names. According to an article in Mint, he said, “Charni Road is named for a grazing ground for cattle ('charani' in Marathi), so the change in name does not make any sense.”

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