Maharashtra Renames Ahmednagar as ‘Ahilyanagar’

The Maharashtra Cabinet has announced its decision to rename Ahmednagar district as ‘Ahilya Nagar’. The renaming is in honor of the 18th-century Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.

Background

• The proposal to rename Ahmednagar was first announced by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in May 2023, on the 298th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar.
• The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar.

BJP’s Demand

• The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been demanding the renaming of Ahmednagar district.
• This followed the renaming of Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv, respectively.

Other Renaming Decisions

• The Cabinet also announced the renaming of seven railway stations in Mumbai, which previously had British-era names.

The approved changes include:

• Curry Road to Lalbaug
• Sandhurst Road to Dongri
• Marine Lines to Mumbadevi
• Cotton Green to Kalachowki
• Charni Road to Girgaon
• Dockyard Road to Mazgaon
• King Circle to Tirthakar Parshivnath

Mumbai Central Station Renaming

• The Cabinet has decided to rename Mumbai Central Station as Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth Station.
• A proposal for the same has been sent to the railways ministry.

Maharashtra Bhavan in Srinagar

• The Cabinet has approved the purchase of 2.5 acres of land in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, to construct a Maharashtra Bhavan there.
• This proposal was already made in the state budget during the previous session of the Maharashtra Assembly.

Sea Link Project

• The Maharashtra Cabinet has also approved the construction of a sea link between Uttan (Bhayander) and Virar (Palghar).

The renaming of Ahmednagar as ‘Ahilyanagar’ is part of the state government’s efforts to honor historical figures and rename places with a cultural and historical significance.