MLA Rizwan Arshad moots 'St Mary's Basilica-Shivajinagar' name for upcoming metro station in Bengaluru

Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad on Tuesday suggested a hyphenated name — St Mary’s Basilica–Shivajinagar — for the upcoming metro station in the busy locality. 

“It would be disrespectful to both Shivajinagar and the basilica to choose one name. A hyphenated name like St Mary’s Basilica–Shivajinagar would honour both legacies and help commuters differentiate between this and the Bamboo Bazaar station,” he told reporters. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assurance to Archbishop Peter Machado during the St Mary’s Feast on September 8 to name one of two upcoming Shivajinagar metro stations after St Mary has sparked sharp debate. 

Shivajinagar will have two stations — one beside the busy bus terminal linking Russell Market, Commercial Street and St Mary’s Basilica, and another at Bamboo Bazaar, a hub for wood and bamboo products. 

The proposal drew national attention after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned it, calling it “an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

Many social media users echoed his view, arguing “Bengaluru has no link to St Mary” and that the area’s name honours Shivaji. 

Over 150 years old, St Mary’s Basilica was the first church in Karnataka elevated to minor basilica status and is celebrated for its striking Gothic architecture. 

Locals, however, appear largely indifferent. Akshaya P, a college student and daily commuter, said, “It is just a name, we will call it Shivajinagar Metro Station anyway.” 

Fruit vendor Lakshmi K Swamy welcomed the convenience of a nearby station over Cubbon Park’s distance, adding “Compared to the improved access the metro will provide to the city market, the name is unimportant.”