MUMBAI: The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday decided to rename Ahmednagar district as Ahilya Nagar in honor of Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
Ahmednagar served as the capital of the Ahmednagar sultanate. It was a major economic and political centre in the Deccan region.
The state government also decided to rename eight Mumbai railway stations with names dating back to the British colonial era. Curry Road has renamed as Lalbaug, Sandhurst Road as Dongri, Marine Lines as Mumbadevi, Cotton Green as Kalachowki, Charni Road as Girgaon, Dockyard Road as Mazgaon, and King Circle as Tirthakar Parshivnath.
Mumbai Central Station will be renamed Nana Jagannath Shankarsheth Station for which a proposal has been sent to the Railways Ministry.
On the birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar on May 31 last year, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde had announced that the state government will rename the district to honour her.
Ahilyabai Holkar built several temples and dharamshalas (public rest houses) across India. She was also known for her efforts to popularise industrialisation. The queen established the textile industry in Maheshwar, which is known for its famous Maheshwari sarees. She was also known for the renovation and repair of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the 1780s.
The Maharashtra cabinet has also approved the purchase of 2.5 acres of land in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to construct a Maharashtra Bhavan there. The proposal was already in the state budget in the previous budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly.
Also, the cabinet has approved the construction of a sea link between Uttan (Bhayander) and Virar (Palghar).