Mumbai Central station to be renamed as Nana Shankarseth Mumbai Central railway station

Following Bombay renaming as Mumbai, the station, originally called Bombay Central, was also renamed as Mumbai Central in 1997. (File)

THE MUMBAI Central railway station on the Western Railway route of the Mumbai Suburban rail line is set to be renamed. The Uddhav Thackeray government on Thursday sanctioned a proposal for rechristening it as Nana Shankarseth Mumbai Central railway station.

Following the state Cabinet’s go-ahead to the proposal, officials said that it will now be shared with the Railways Ministry.

The station, designed by British architect Claude Batley, serves as a major stop for both local suburban and long distance trains. Following Bombay renaming as Mumbai, the station, originally called Bombay Central, was also renamed as Mumbai Central in 1997.

Jagannath (Nana) Shankarseth (1803-1865) was a Maharashtrian philanthropist and educationist who is contributed a lot to the development of Mumbai. The first Indian to be nominated to erstwhile Legislative Council of Bombay, he was also instrumental in the formation of the Indian Railway Association, which had pushed efforts to bring railways to the country. The Nana Chowk in South Mumbai is named after him. A marble status has been erected in his honour at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai.