Shivajinagar metro naming sparks clash: Citizens demand Shankar Nag over St Mary

Citizens call for Shivajinagar’s upcoming metro station to be named after visionary actor-director Shankar Nag, as CM Siddaramaiah promises to recommend St Mary’s name.

Bengaluru is witnessing a heated naming debate after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the upcoming Shivajinagar Pink Line metro station could be named after St Mary. The CM made the assurance during the annual feast celebrations at St Mary’s Basilica, promising both the naming proposal and funding support for the church’s renovation.

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He stated that the proposal would be sent to the central government and handled in line with the required procedures.

However, the announcement quickly ignited a social media firestorm, with many Bengaluru citizens demanding the station be named after the late actor-director Shankar Nag, the man hailed as the original visionary of Namma Metro.

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“Shankar Nag studied metro systems in Singapore and other countries in the 1980s and dreamed of transforming Bengaluru’s transport. He deserves this honour more than anyone,” wrote a user, echoing a sentiment widely shared across platforms.

The discussion has also revived calls for a practical naming approach for metro stations, with several commuters pointing out that personality-based names sometimes cause confusion. For instance, Electronic City station is actually located at Konappana Agrahara, while Konappana Agrahara station is named Electronic City.

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Deputy CM D K Shivakumar recently revealed that the government is also considering naming stations after Field Marshal K M Cariappa, showing this is part of a larger naming conversation.

Whether Bengaluru chooses St Mary, Shankar Nag, or a location-based name for the Shivajinagar station, the decision is likely to have citywide implications, both sentimental and practical.

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