Central Mumbai
Central Mumbai is one of the major regions of Bombay
and encloses region like Crawford Market through Mohammedali
Road and Kalbadevi to Mumbai Central Stattion and the
fast growing commercial areas of Lower Parel.
Mumbai Central:
This terminus falls on the Mumbai suburban railway and
serves Western railway.
Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus :
History
One of the prime attractions of Mumbai, Chattrapati
Shivaji Terminus has an interesting history. One of
the areas along the eastern shore line of mumbai, it
was used as a storehouse for goods imported and exported
from Mumbai( then Bombay). In the 1850s, the Great Indian
Peninsular Railway built its railway terminus in this
area and the station took its name as Bori Bunder, which
literally means a place where sacks are stored. It was
eventually named Victoria Terminus, after the then reigning
Queen and has been subsequently renamed Chatrapati Shivaji
Terminus Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus after Maharashtra's
and India's great king and patriot Chatrapati Shivaji.
Though the new abbreviated term for the terminus is
CST, the tongues of people are used to refer to it as
VT.
Architecture
The credit for designing Victoria Terminus-the most
barmy of Mumbai’s buildings goes to Mr F W Stevens,
who was inspired by St. Pancras station in London. Built
in 1887 as the largest British edifice in India, it
is an interesting amalagam of domes, spires, Corinthian
colums and minarets. An impressive example of engineering
genius, this icon of British imperial architecture has
been declared as a heritage site and is a protected
building. Buit in Gothic style of architecture, it is
one of the most magnificent buildings in Mumbai. A large
statue of queen Victoria is kept at the entrance of
the terminus. The main structure is surmounted by a
statue of progress. The clock on tower is 3.19m in diameter.
Carvings of peacocks, gargoyles, monkeys, elephants
and British lions are mixed up among the buttresses,
domes, turrets, spires and stained glass windows. The
terminus looks more like a cathedral than a terminus.
Serving as the headquarters of the Central Railways
in India, this is one of the busiest stations in India.
Inside, presents a very chaotic scene. One can see anxious
passengers, porters with oversize headloads, ticket
collectors in black, cullies in red, hawkers selling
tea, beggars, sweepers; all adding to the noise at station.
Kurla Junction :
Previously known as the Lokmanya Tilak Junctions, Kurla
is one of the major suburb of Mumbai. Being one of the
busiest railway stations of Bombay, Kurla Junction is
counted amongst the major rail heads in the city.
Bombay city limits were expanded to Kurla in 1918 and
a new line was set up connecting Kurla to Chembur and
extending it to Mankhurd. The commercial value of the
place raised significantly when Bandra- Kurla Commercial
complex was set up.
This is a common railway station to central railway's
main line and harbour line. This is of course in addition
to VT ( Victoria Terminus) which is now named CST (
Chattrapati Shivaji terminus), Masjid and Sandhurst
road.
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