PLAN TO REDEVELOP CSMT RAILWAY STATION

PLAN TO REDEVELOP CSMT RAILWAY STATION

Subject : Current Events

Context : The plan is to turn CSMT into a state-of-the-art transport hub with world-class amenities while restoring its heritage value. After completion of the project, the station is expected to offer a much-improved travel experience for commuters.

Concept :

• The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd (IRSDC), which is the nodal agency for station redevelopment in India, has this week shortlisted nine bidders for the redevelopment of the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station in Mumbai.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)

• The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus in Mumbai, Maharashtra is a fine example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India, with a blend of themes derived from Indian traditional architecture.
• The terminus exhibits an important interchange of influences between the two. The building, designed by the British architect F.W. Stevens, became the symbol of Bombay (now Mumbai) as the ‘Gothic City’ and the major international mercantile port city in the Indian subcontinent within the British Commonwealth.
• The terminal was built over ten years, starting in 1878 according to a High Victorian Gothic design based on late medieval Italian models. Its remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture.
• This magnificent terminus serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways in India and is one of the busiest stations of the nation. Till 1996, it was known as Victoria Terminal, named so in the honour of Queen Victoria.
• On 2nd July 2004, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO nominated this magnificent specimen of late 19th century railway architecture as a World Heritage Site.
• This terminus is one of the rare specimens of the excellent fusion of traditional western and Indian architecture and adds a unique variety to the rich Indian heritage.