Aurangabad railway station renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station
Mumbai, Oct 18
The Maharashtra government has issued a gazette notification to rename the Aurangabad railway station to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station.
The government's move comes two years after the name of Aurangabad city was renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The government's move coincided with the ongoing preparations by ruling MahaYuti and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for the local and divic body elections.
The BJP-led MahaYuti government issued a gazette notification on October 15 to rename the Aurangabad railway station to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station. The renaming process, though, was originally initiated by the Shiv Sena-led Mh Vikas Aghadi government.
Aurangabad was originally named after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the renaming was done to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Aurangabad railway station was opened in 1900. It was made by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The railway station is located on the Kacheguda-Manmad section. This section mainly serves Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city (formerly Aurangabad). The station falls under the Nanded division of the South Central Railway zone. It has rail connectivity with major cities in the country.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city is a tourist hub, surrounded by many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is also known as the City of Gates, each of which has a local history, built during the Mughal Era, and 2 ASI-protected monuments (Bibi ka Maqbara and Aurangabad caves), as well as many more within city limits.
The demand for the renaming of Aurangabad sprang up in the late 1980s. Over 25 people were killed in a communal riot in 1988, and in the subsequent elections, the Shiv Sena won the Aurangabad municipal corporation elections.
On May 8, 1988, Bal Thackeray announced the renaming of the city to 'Sambhaji Nagar' and a resolution was passed by the municipal corporation in 1995. Following this, the then Shiv-Sena-led government issued a notification seeking objections and suggestions from the people.
However, on September 16, 2023, the Eknath Shinde-led government issued a government notification to rename the Aurangabad district to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, following approval from the special state cabinet meeting.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month announced that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will become the country's Electric Vehicle (EV) capital, as it is a favoured investment destination.
He further stated that Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar can be called a favourite investment destination. The investment by Hyundai shows that companies are preferring cities like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I respect our Maratha heritage, I wish the government would focus more on improving railway facilities and infrastructure. The station needs better amenities for passengers.
As someone who frequently travels to Aurangabad for work, the name change is confusing for tourists. The city has so much Mughal history that's being erased. Bibi ka Maqbara and the gates are beautiful heritage sites.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj sacrificed his life for Swarajya. This renaming is long overdue! Hope this inspires more youth to learn about our brave Maratha history. ðŸ™
The timing seems political with elections coming up. Both BJP and Shiv Sena are trying to take credit. Wish development work got this much attention and coordination between parties.
Good move! Now we need to update all maps, signboards, and official documents. Hope the EV capital plan works out - that would bring real development to the region.
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