Sawantwadi station to be renamed after Madhu Dandavate, who played a pivotal role in Konkan Railway

Officials said that following approval from the central government, the station would officially be renamed ‘Lokmanya Madhu Dandavate Railway Terminus’

MUMBAI: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to rename Sawantwadi railway station on the Konkan Railway network after former union railway minister and veteran socialist leader, the late Madhu Dandavate, recognising his pivotal role in making the Konkan Railway project a reality. It also approved the regularisation of structures, officially listed as encroachments, on a 4.25-acre plot of land occupied by the Pimpleshwar Temple Trust in Dombivli, and the transfer of the plot at a nominal rate to the trust. Both decisions were taken in the state cabinet meeting.

Madhu Dandavate sanctioned the first phase of the Konkan Railway project in 1978-79, beginning with the Apta-Roha line (HT Photo)

The government will now forward a formal proposal for the station renaming to the union ministries of home affairs and railways for final approval. Officials said that following approval from the central government, the station would officially be renamed ‘Lokmanya Madhu Dandavate Railway Terminus’.

Dandavate, who also served as union finance minister, is widely regarded as the architect of the Konkan Railway. A release issued by the chief minister’s office said that the veteran socialist had consistently championed railway connectivity issues concerning the Konkan region and played a crucial role in ensuring that the long-pending Konkan Railway project moved forward. “The decision reflects the sentiments of the people of the Konkan region and fulfils a long-pending demand,” said the release.

Among Dandavate’s most notable passenger-friendly measures was the replacement of wooden berths with cushioned berths in sleeper coaches. As a parliamentarian, he also played an important role during the enactment of the Anti-Defection Law in 1985, advocating for the inclusion of safeguards to protect dissent within political parties.

In another decision, the state cabinet also approved the allotment of a 4.25-acre plot of land to the Shri Pimpaleshwar Devasthan Temple Trust in Mouje Sagaon-Sonarpada, located in Dombivli’s industrial area. The trust had sought regularisation of structures on the land, which were officially classified as encroachments, and the allotment of the land at a nominal rate. The proposal was forwarded to the state government by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) through a formal resolution.

Following the cabinet nod, MIDC will initiate the necessary procedural steps to regularise the encroachments on the plot and transfer the land to the trust at a nominal price. The government, however, clarified that the decision should not be treated as a precedent, and directed MIDC to formulate a comprehensive policy for dealing with encroachments on its land.