Mumbai Metro-3 Aqua Line: 'This Insult Maharashtra Won't Tolerate', Sena UBT Slams Kotak Branding On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Metro Signboard

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday expressed strong disapproval over a metro station signboard that displays the name 'Kotak–Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Metro', accusing authorities of compromising the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for commercial gain.

The party took to X to voice its outrage, sharing a photo of the signage and posting, "For the advertising gimmicks of industrialist friends, tampering with the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj! This insult, Maharashtra will not tolerate!”

उद्योगपती मित्रांच्या जाहिरातबाजीसाठी
छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांच्या नावासोबत छेडछाड!

हा अपमान महाराष्ट्र खपवून घेणार नाही! pic.twitter.com/riKae0r26m

— ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) August 1, 2025

Metro Branding Sparks Political Firestorm

The signboard, which appears to be part of a branding partnership for the upcoming Mumbai Metro Line 3, shows Kotak Mahindra Bank’s name placed alongside the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Shiv Sena (UBT) has called this an unacceptable dilution of historical and cultural reverence.

About Mumbai Metro Line 3

The Mumbai Metro’s Aqua Line 3, officially known as Line 3, is a high-capacity underground metro corridor currently under construction. Once completed, it will connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in South Mumbai to SEEPZ in the western suburbs.

The CSMT station will serve as a key interchange hub for commuters, making its naming even more sensitive and symbolically significant.

Shiv Sena (UBT) claims that linking a corporate name with one of Maharashtra’s most revered historical icons, on a government public transport system, amounts to cultural disrespect.

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Not the First Naming Controversy

This is not the first time public anger has erupted over the naming of infrastructure linked to national or regional icons. With Shivaji Maharaj seen as a symbol of pride and identity across Maharashtra, even perceived disrespect tends to spark intense political and emotional reactions.

With elections on the horizon, political observers believe this issue could snowball into a larger debate around heritage, branding, and public accountability.