Habibganj to Rani Kamalapati station: Know how names of Railway Stations are changed and who has the authority?

Prime Minister Modi on November 15, 2021, inaugurated the Habibganj Railway Station in Madhya Pradesh which has been redeveloped at a cost of Rs. 100 crores and is also provided with airport-like amenities.

Habibganj Railway Station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has been renamed after the Gond queen Rani Kamalapati. The renaming of the station is also in accordance with the Government of India’s decision of celebrating November 15 as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ in remembrance of Birsa Munda.

In the article, we are going to further explain that how the names of railway stations in India are changed and who contains the final authority of taking this decision.

India's first world-class railway station: PM Modi inaugurates revamped Rani Kamalapati Railway Station today

How the name of Habibganj Railway Station in Bhopal changed?

The Government of Madhya Pradesh had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about renaming the recently redeveloped Habibganj Station after Rani Kamalapati. She was an 18th-century Gond queen of the region.

The letter from the transport department of Madhya Pradesh stated that the renaming of the station will also be in accordance with the Central Government’s decision of celebrating November 15 as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ in remembrance of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked PM Modi for allowing the government to change the name of the Habibganj station. MP Government also issued a gazette notification saying that the changed name will be spelled at Rani Kamalapati Railway Station.

धन्य हैं पीएम श्री @narendramodi जी, उन्होंने हबीबगंज रेलवे स्टेशन का नाम रानी कमलापति रखकर रानी का सम्मान बढ़ाया है,जनजातीय समाज, भोपाल और मध्यप्रदेश का सम्मान बढ़ाया है।

मैं मध्यप्रदेश की साढ़े आठ करोड़ जनता और जनजातीय समाज की ओर से प्रणाम करता हूं : CM#जनजातीय_गौरव_दिवस pic.twitter.com/YcVcUzWAOG

— CMO Madhya Pradesh (@CMMadhyaPradesh) November 15, 2021

The decision of changing the name to Rani Kamalapati station had come after BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur demanded that the station must be renamed after the former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

How the names of railways stations are changed in India?

Before Habibganj station in Bhopal was renamed to Rani Kamalapati, the name of Allahabad Railway Station was changed to Prayagraj, and Mughalsarai Railway Station has been renamed Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction recently.

It must be noted that even though the Indian Railways own the station, it does not have any role in renaming the stations. The renaming of railway stations in the country is a state subject. The state government sends requests to the Home Ministry and then the ministry takes the decision of keeping the Ministry of Railways informed about the developments.

It is also ensured that no other railway station with the newly proposed name exists anywhere in India.

What happens after the renaming of the railway station is approved?

Once the new name has been approved, the Railways of India starts the necessary work which includes issuing a new station code, platform signage, changing boards at the building, and entering the new name into its ticketing system as well. The name and their spellings in different languages will also be approved by the state government.