Naming Dispute Heats Up in South Mumbai: Opposition Mounts Against Renaming Mathew Marg

Mumbai, 17th November 2023: The decision to rename Mathew Road in the Opera House area of the Malabar Hill Assembly Constituency, South Mumbai, has sparked controversy, facing strong opposition from the residents of Girgaon. The renaming proposal to change it to Shrimad Rajchandra Road has drawn criticism, with residents asserting that the road should be named after a local figure who has made significant contributions to various fields in South Mumbai.

The Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur organization submitted a letter to local MLA and Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on April 17, 2023, urging the renaming of Mathew Road from Royal Opera House to Bharat Petroleum Pump in the Opera House area. In response, Lodha forwarded a request letter to the ‘D’ Division office of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, advocating for the renaming. The ‘D’ Division Office has drafted a proposal in support of the renaming, but strong opposition has emerged from Girgaon residents.

As the term of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Hall’s corporators has expired, there is currently no active post for a corporator with the authority to propose road renaming. The ‘D’ Division office is working on the proposal at the request of the minister, with plans to hand over the authority to future corporators. In response to this, Shashikant Pawar, Chetan Madan, and Paresh Telang of the ‘Garjato Marathi’ movement have written to the Commissioner and Administrator of BMC, Iqbal Singh Chahal, demanding the immediate cancellation of the proposal.

The letter emphasizes the significant contributions of many local figures in South Mumbai, including artists, athletes, and cultural icons. Girgaon and surrounding areas have produced notable personalities such as veteran kirtanist Baba Maharaj Satarkar, actress Rima Lagoo, actor Jayant Savarkar, lavani empress Sulochana Chavan, actor Daji Bhatwadekar, Pradeep Patwardhan, Shiv Sena leader Pramod Navalkar, Vilas Avachat, Chandrakant Padawali, among others.

The letter demands that if Mathew Marg is to be renamed, it should be named after one of the aforementioned individuals who have left a lasting impact on the community. No response has been received regarding this request, prompting Pawar, Madan, and Telang to issue a warning of potential protests if their concerns are not addressed promptly.