1st Day tickets of Ram Mandir railway station in Mumbai

First day tickets issued from Mumbai's newest suburban railway station Ram Mandir collected by friend Jigar Desai. The station on Western Railway Mumbai division was formally opened on December 22, 2016. 

Fourth imprint -- Halt Station India

Yes! Excited to announce the 4th imprint of my successful book on the story of India's 1st railway. Thank u, all. For those who still haven't bought it, here are the details: To place an order..

Please call for home delivery--

Mumbai number-  02223524655, 02223511381. Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm. Saturday 9.30am to 2.00pm, Sunday closed.
Email at kgminternational @ gmail.com

The book is also available online on Flipkart/Amazon and also at book stores

To buy in India

On FLIPKART, click HERE

On AMAZON INDIA, click HERE

To buy locally in the UK

On AMAZON UK, click HERE 

For the US and other countries

On AMAZON.COM, click HERE 

Mumbai suburban railway goes religious!

Rajendra B. Aklekar

So with the Maharashtra government now deciding to name the proposed Oshiwara station between Jogeshwari and Goregaon on Churchgate-Virar section of Mumbai division of Western Railway as Ram Mandir, Mumbai suburban railway, the city’s lifeline, has now become a completely secular railway and come a full circle.

Controversies apart, and I do not have any political views, but lightly speaking it now has a Churchgate, a Masjid Bunder, a Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar and now a Ram Mandir. :)

Let’s look at their brief history. 

Churchgate: Mumbai (today’s south Mumbai) was a walled, fortified city with moats. The fortification had three main gates. And one of the gates was an entry to the St. Thomas Church, today’s St Thomas Cathedral. The road was named Churchgate as the road from led to this church. This gate, which roughly stood where today’s Flora Fountain stands, was demolished in 1860. The railway station that came up near the gate’s proximity on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India line (today’s Western Railway) was named Churchgate.

Masjid Bunder: Named after an old jetty which was near a mosque (masjid), this station on Central Railway Mumbai comes just after the iconic Mumbai CST. Records suggest the station probably got its name from the 200-year old Gate of Mercy Synagogue, called Juni Masjid, along Samuel Street in Mandvi in the east of the station, one of Mumbai’s oldest synagogues. Another one Saat-Taad mosque, simply translated “seven palm trees” is located just next to the station today hidden amid a maze of warehouses and wholesale dealers with a narrow entrance today
.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar: Originally called Koliwada, this station on the harbour line of Central Railway Mumbai was renamed Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar after the ninth of the ten Gurus of Sikhism in July 1979.

Ram Mandir: The proposed Oshiwara station had been under construction for quite some time. Political parties demanded that the station be renamed as Ram Mandir station in recognition of a popular temple in the area. The road that leads to the station is called Ram Mandir Road. Today, the Maharashtra government approved the proposal.

F. W Stevens birthday celebrated in Mumbai

Rajendra B. Aklekar, Mumbai.

Started the day (November 11, 2016) by paying homage to Frederick William Stevens on his 169th birth anniversary at his grave in the Sewri Cemetery along with Central Railway delegation. '

The architect has not just designed the wonderful Victoria Terminus -- Mumbai CST heritage building, but also the Mumbai Municipal Corporation head office, Churchgate heritage building, what is now the Maharashtra Police head office building opposite Regal Cinema, the artistic water fountain opposite GPO and much more, all major icons of South Mumbai. 

A salute and a happy birthday. 

An official event was also been organised on the occasion this evening in the prestigious dining hall of Mumbai CST station.

Kalka Simla Rail Bus 1945, India

A Rail Motor plying on the Kalka–Simla line July 14, 1945. Courtesy: Photo Division India.