The Maharashtra government has proposed renaming Mumbai Central Terminus after Nana Shankarsheth, a 19th century Thane-born philanthropist and educationist known for his contributions to the development of Mumbai. The proposal has been sent to the Centre, but no decision has been made yet.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai stated that the decision on such matters is taken after due consideration of recommendations from various government agencies and other relevant factors. The Namdar Jagannath (Nana) Shankarsheth Pratishthan, a Mumbai-based organisation, has not submitted any correspondence to the federal government over this.
According to officials, the Union Home Ministry must obtain no-objection certificates from the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, and Survey of India before giving consent to change the name of any place or station. These organisations must confirm that no town or village in their records has a name similar to the proposed name.
While changing the name of a state requires an amendment to the Constitution with a simple majority in Parliament, an executive order is sufficient for changing the name of a village, town or station.
Nana Shankarsheth is widely recognised for his contributions to the development of Mumbai. He was a key figure in establishing several educational institutions and was instrumental in the construction of the Victoria Terminus railway station.
The proposal to rename Mumbai Central Terminus is likely to be met with mixed reactions from the public. While some may view the move as a fitting tribute to a great philanthropist and educationist, others may argue that renaming a landmark with a long-standing name could lead to confusion and inconvenience.
It remains to be seen whether the Centre will give its approval to the proposal. However, given the importance of Nana Shankarsheth’s contributions to the city of Mumbai, it is likely that the proposal will be given serious consideration.