Maharashtra legislative council passes resolution to rename seven local train stations

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra legislative council unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday to rename seven stations on the Mumbai local train network.
The Mahayuti government, which includes the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the BJP, and the NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, will now seek approval from the Union government for the new names.The resolution was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil and adopted unanimously.
Many stations on the Mumbai local train network currently have names in English, which some argue reflect a colonial legacy. As per the resolution, Currey Road station will be renamed Lalbaug, Sandhurst Road as Dongri, Marine Lines as Mumbadevi, and Charni Road as Girgaon. The renaming of Sandhurst Road will apply to both the Central Line and the Harbour Line.
Other stations affected by the resolution include Cotton Green station, which will be renamed Kalachowki, Dockyard Road as Mazgaon, and King's Circle as Tirthankar Parswanath.
Notably, Mumbai has seen such changes before. Iconic stations like Victoria Terminus (VT) were renamed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), and Elphinstone Road was renamed Prabhadevi, reflecting a move toward culturally resonant names for public spaces.
The Leader of the Opposition in the council, Ambadas Danve, raised a question regarding the renaming of the airport in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, currently called Aurangabad airport. However, his request for a discussion was denied by deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe, who indicated that the concerned minister could respond to his query at a later time.
The Maharashtra government had previously changed the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts in the Marathwada region to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.