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Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
Grand Expo Marks Nagpur Railway Station's 100 Glorious Years Of Service
Nagpur: One of the most iconic and heritage-rich railway stations in India, Nagpur Junction completed 100 glorious years of dedicated service to the nation this year. As part of this historic milestone, a grand centenary exhibition has been set up at the station's west side porch premises, highlighting its architectural legacy, historical importance, and pivotal role in India's railway and cultural journey. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials said public can visit the exhibition to learn more about the station's rich history. Such activities are part of year-long centenary celebrations which began in January, they said. The centenary exhibition features rare archival photographs, historical documents, vintage ticketing instruments, railway uniforms, and 3D models of past and future station infrastructure. LED displays and artefacts trace the journey of the station from colonial times to modern-day transformation under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Nagpur divisional railway manager Vinayak Garg has invited all passengers, rail enthusiasts, and the general public to visit the exhibition and witness the centennial legacy. "Central Railway invites everyone to be a part of this proud celebration of heritage, progress, and national connectivity," he said. Originally built in 1867 as Itwari station under the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR), Nagpur later emerged as a vital link between Mumbai and Kolkata. The present red-stone building, blending Gothic and Mughal architectural styles, was inaugurated on January 15, 1925, by the then governor Sir Frank Sly and renamed Nagpur Junction in 1920. Strategically located at the intersection of Howrah–Mumbai and Delhi–Chennai trunk routes, the station has grown into one of the busiest and most crucial junctions in the Indian Railways network. Nagpur station also witnessed key moments in Indian history. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mahatma Gandhi arrived here in 1920 during the Non-Cooperation Movement. More recently, on December 11, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Vande Bharat Express and laid the foundation stone for the station's redevelopment. Currently, a massive ₹488 crore redevelopment project is underway, aimed at transforming Nagpur station into a world-class facility. The upgraded station will feature a modern roof plaza, multimodal integration, 28 lifts, 31 escalators, basement parking, and Divyangjan-friendly infrastructure to enhance the overall travel experience. Nagpur station today handles 283 trains daily, with an average footfall of over 68,000 passengers. In FY 2023-24, the total passenger count stood at 2.36 crore, underlining its significance in India's railway network. E-wheelchair service at Rs100 Enhancing accessibility and passenger convenience, Central Railway's Nagpur division launched an electric wheelchair (e-wheelchair) facility at Nagpur station. This service is introduced under the non-fare revenue (NFR) initiative, offering greater mobility, safety, and comfort to elderly, sick, and differently-abled passengers. The e-wheelchair facility consists of battery-operated electric wheelchairs designed for smooth and hassle-free movement across the station premises. Operated by trained staff, the service ensures safe and assisted mobility for passengers in need. The facility is available at all major entry and exit points, as well as platforms. Passengers can book the service in advance through deputy station superintendent (commercial), station helpdesks, or the customer helpline. The service is offered at a nominal charge of Rs100 per passenger. This facility is expected to significantly improve the station experience for passengers requiring mobility assistance and reflects the division's ongoing efforts toward inclusive infrastructure development.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maharashtra chief minister Fadnavis throws open Sindoor Bridge in Mumbai
Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the newly built Sindoor Bridge, formerly known as Carnac Bridge, in South Mumbai. He said the renaming marks a symbolic break from colonial-era legacies. Both the deputy CMs, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, did not attend the inauguration event. In the past, the bridge wasknown and referred to as as Carnac bridge after James Rivett Carnac, the governor of the Bombay Presidency from the year 1839 to 1842. According to History of the Municipal Corporation of the City of Bombay by L W Michael (1902), the bridge was built at the joint expense of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) and the municipal corporation. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Speaking at the event, Fadnavis said, "For many years, this bridge was known as Carnac Bridge — named after a British governor but according to documented history, especially as referenced in writings by Prabodhankar Thackeray, this governor was involved in injustices against Indian rulers like Chhatrapati Pratapsingh Maharaj and Nagpur's Mudhoji Raje. Therefore these black pages of history need to be wiped off. " He added that the renaming was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of erasing symbols of colonial subjugation from public spaces in independent India. Fadnavis also said that the bridge has now been named 'Sindoor Bridge' to commemorate the bravery of the Indian armed forces during ' Operation Sindoor ' — a mission in which Indian forces precisely targeted terrorist bases across the border in Pakistan. "This name was proposed by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar, and I thank the BMC for approving it," Fadnavis said. The reconstruction of the bridge, which spans over a key railway corridor is in a heavily congested part of south Mumbai. Fadnavis lauded the civic body for completing the project despite the logistical hurdles of working above active railway lines and in a dense urban neighbourhood. The original Carnac Bridge, a colonial-era structure built in the 1860s, was dismantled in the year 2022 after it was declared unsafe. The new Sindoor Bridge is expected to significantly ease traffic movement in the busy CST–Masjid Bunder belt. The new bridge spans a total length of 342 metres, including a 70-metre segment constructed directly over the railway lines.
