Churchgate
is one of the localities situated in the downtown South Mumbai. The
locality takes its name from Churchgate Railway Station, a terminus of
the western railway line of Mumbai Suburban Railway of Maharashtra.
Serving as home to the headquarters of the Western Railway, Churchgate
is the venue of the southernmost station of the Bombay city of India.
The term 'Churchgate' has been derived from the two words, Church and
Gate.There is a church, St. Thomas Church, situated on the same road as the station - just half a kilometer away. The term 'gate' in Churchgate owes its inception to an ancient gate that was once situated on the same spot where Flora Fountain today stands. It used to form the southern boundary of Bombay, back in the 16th century. Later, the gate was torn down in the expansion of the city. The terms Church and Gate combined to give the name 'Churchgate' to the station.
In the present times, Churchgate station of Mumbai claims the distinction of being one of the busiest stations of the city. The Churchgate locality also serves as the venue of numerous banks and offices, including the office of the Income Tax Department. Just a kilometer from the area, one can find the posh locality of Nariman Point and on its western side is located the Marine Drive area. Churchgate also houses a number of educational institutions as well as some of the important sports complexes in the city.
