Out of all the major railway junctions of India, the most popular one is the CST. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, previously known as the Victoria Terminus or VT, is Mumbai’s biggest railway station. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and also the headquarters of the Central Railway, which has many interesting facts to its name. Let us read a few.
The first railway station of the country:
On 16th April, 1853, the iconic first passenger train of the country was operated by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. It covered a distance of 40kms from Borivali to Thane, and gave birth to the Indian Railways. CST was eventually named as Victoria Terminus after the then Queen, but subsequently came to be popularly known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, after the Maratha 17th century king. CST is also one of the oldest railway stations all over the world. Most particular aspect of the station is the dome, seen in many famous Bollywood movies. After the 26/11 attacks, the beauty of the station was partially diminished. Damaged portions were rebuilt and the station is as beautiful as before.
The reason for constructing the station:
The station was designed by the famous designer Frederick William Stevens. Also, influences from the Victorian and Gothic revival along with the traditional Mughal architecture, was used in the construction. The station was constructed in 1887 to mark the Golden Jubilee of the great Queen Victoria. It was after the construction of this station that the railway became popular in India.
Total time taken in its construction:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus took a total of 10 years for its completion. This is the longest time taken for constructing any railway station in India. The station is an architectural landmark built in the Gothic-revival architecture as the headquarters for the central Railway. The brilliant architect has been there for over a 100 years. The station is always very crowded with over 200 trains running to and from the station daily.
The renaming of the station in 1996:
The Railway Minister of India, Suresh Kalmadi, in 1996, changed the name Victoria Terminus to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus after the leader and founder of the great Maratha dynasty, Chhatrapati Shivaji. However, even now, most people call it as VT station, especially the taxi drivers of Mumbai.
The total number of commuters:
Along with being a UNESCO world heritage site, this Terminus is the very soul of the commercial capital. Every single day, around 3 million commuters use the station for traveling either to the various suburbs of the city or to anywhere else in the country. The local train passengers outnumber the express train passengers. The local trains itself are a pride of Mumbai.
If you are planning a visit to Mumbai from a distant place, get your Indian railways reservation online.
It is said that a visit to Mumbai is incomplete without seeing the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. So even if you go by flight, do not miss to visit the railway station!