Charni Road railway station

Charni Road (formerly Churney Road, station code: CYR)[1] is a railway station on the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. The main significance of Charni Road station is that it is near the Girgaum Chowpatty beach and Marine Drive promenade, a major destination for tourists in Mumbai. It is also important because of the diamond trading industry located here, mainly in the Panchratna and Prasad chambers building near the railway station.

Charni Road eastern entrance

Charni Road
Mumbai Suburban Railway station
Coordinates	18.951565°N 72.818633°E / 18.951565; 72.818633
Owned by	Ministry of Railways, Indian Railways
Line(s)	Western Line
Platforms	4
Tracks	4
Construction
Structure type	Standard on-ground station
Other information
Station code	CYR
Fare zone	Western Railways
History
Opened	1867
Services
Preceding station   MSR   Following station Marine Lines toward Churchgate Western Line Grant Road toward Dahanu Road
Route map Ahmedabad–Mumbai main line Dahanu Road Vangaon Boisar Umroli Palghar Kelve Road Saphale Vaitarna River Vaitarna Virar Nallasopara Vasai Road Central line and Konkan Railway Naigaon Vasai Creek Bhayandar Mira Road Dahisar Borivali Kandivali Malad planned extension to Borivali Goregaon Ram Mandir Jogeshwari Andheri Line 1 Vile Parle Sahar Airport Santacruz Sahar Airport Khar Road Bandra Mithi River Mahim Harbour line Matunga Road Central line Dadar planned Monorail Prabhadevi Parel Central line Lower Parel Mahalaxmi Line 3 Mumbai Central Line 3 Grant Road Line 3 Charni Road Marine Lines Churchgate Line 3 Colaba/Backbay
Location
Charni Road Location within Mumbai

The station derives its name from the fact that grazing lands for cattle and horses were located nearby in earlier days (Charne in Marathi means to graze).[2] In 1838, the British rulers introduced a 'grazing fee' which several cattle-owners could not afford. Therefore, Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy spent ₹20,000 from his own purse for purchasing some grasslands near the seafront at Thakurdwar and saw that the starving cattle grazed without a fee in that area. In time the area became to be known as "Charni" meaning grazing. When a railway station on the BB&CI railway was constructed there it was called Charni Road. The BB&CI line from Back Bay to Virar opened in 1867.[3]

There have also been some controversies during its renovation.[4]

Today Charni road is well known for its old charm Chawls, wholesale markets of diamonds (Opera House), garments, Irani cafés traditional Maharashtrian culture (Girgaon) and also tall skyscrapers. Also the famous Hinduja College of commerce and economics have been set up by Hinduja group in 1974.

For information about the area, see Charni Road.