Eight railway stations in the Lucknow division of Northern Railways have been officially renamed after saints and freedom fighters, following a government order issued on Tuesday. The move comes after a proposal by former Amethi MP Smriti Irani aimed at preserving the cultural identity and heritage of the region.
According to the order, the Kasimpur Halt Railway Station will now be known as Jais City Railway Station, Jais has been renamed Guru Gorakhnath Dham, Misrauli as Maa Kalikan Dham, and Bani as Swami Paramhans. Additionally, Nihalgarh Railway Station has been renamed Maharaja Bijli Pasi Railway Station, Akbarganj is now Maa Ahorwa Bhawani Dham, Warisganj has been changed to Amar Shahid Bhale Sultan, and Fursatganj is now Tapeshwarnath Dham.
Smriti Irani had announced the name changes on social media in March, emphasizing the importance of preserving the cultural and historical significance of the region. “The renaming of these stations reflects our commitment to honoring the great figures and spiritual heritage of our nation,” she stated.
A senior railway official explained the rationale behind the renaming: “Kasimpur Halt was named after a village that is quite far from the station. Therefore, Jais City was proposed as a more appropriate name. Similarly, Guru Gorakhnath Dham ashram is near Jais station, making it fitting to rename the station after the ashram.”
The official further detailed that several temples of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali are located near the Misrauli, Bani, Akbarganj, and Fursatganj stations, justifying their new names. Nihalgarh station, which serves an area with a significant population of the Pasi community, has been renamed after Maharaja Bijli Pasi, a revered king from that community. Warisganj was renamed in honor of Bhale Sultan, known for his bravery during the 1857 revolt against British rule.
However, the renaming of the stations has not been without controversy. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the move, urging the BJP government to focus on improving the condition of railway stations and preventing train accidents instead of merely changing names.
In a pointed remark, Yadav stated, “The BJP government is requested to also change the condition of railway stations along with the names. And when you are done with changing the names, think about preventing record-breaking rail accidents.”
The renaming initiative has sparked a debate on the priorities of the government, with supporters lauding the effort to honor historical figures and critics questioning the focus on symbolic gestures over substantive improvements.
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