Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Police Station

"UNESCO World Heritage The mighty Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Bombay, now Mumbai, presents many visitors with their first impression of the huge metropolis, yet it is by no means typical of indian architecture. To understand its colossal scale and ambition, the palatial structure must be read as a centerpiece of what for more than a century was the most important nation in the British Empire Its English architect, Frederick Williams Stevens, toured Europe for several months looking for inspiration, and similarities with many stations on the continent are not coincidental. However, Italianate Gothic Revival architecture is forcefully blended with traditional Indian domes, turrets, and pointed arches to create a fusion style that accurately represented nineteenth-century Bombay's role as the country's gateway to the West, and it continues to do so as the city westernizes as quickly as any other in this fast-growing. emerging economy. Internally, the ornamental railings, woodcarving, tiles, balustrades, and other ornaments owe much to students of the Bombay School of Art. Despite the current national policy of replacing place and town names that derive from the British Empire with Indian names Chhatrapati Shivail Terminus is still popularly referred to as V. T. short for Victoria Terminus. The station is Mumbai's main commuter hub, and rush hour encapsulates the city's chaotic yet dynamic feel. Travelers cram on to the trains, even sitting on luggage racks, as they are drawn from outer suburbs to jobs downtown. Separate carriages for women and men may seem like an archaic throwback, but the proximity to fellow passengers is far bevond what can be witnessed on the Landon Underground or Tokyo Metro. Visit the terminus for an architectural snapshot of the British Empire at its grandest"