Renaming of Karnak Bridge to ‘Sindoor’ Erases Colonial Past

 Renaming of Karnak Bridge to ‘Sindoor’ Erases Colonial Past

- CM Devendra Fadnavis

Historic ‘Sindoor’ Bridge (formerly Karnak) inaugurated by

 Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

 

Mumbai, July 10 – The bridge that was known as Karnak for over 150 years has now been renamed ‘Sindoor’ in a bid to erase the colonial legacy associated with it, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today while inaugurating the newly rebuilt bridge near Masjid Bunder railway station.

 

CM Fadnavis emphasized that the original name honored a British governor, Karnak, who represented oppression and deceit during the colonial period. “To erase the dark scars of that history, the bridge has been renamed Sindoor,” he said. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, called for eliminating remnants of colonial rule from public memory — and this renaming aligns with that vision.

 

The bridge, which connects Masjid Bunder railway station to P. D’Mello Road, was officially inaugurated by CM Fadnavis. Also present on the occasion were Assembly Speaker Adv. Rahul Narwekar, Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation Chairman Narendra Patil, MLA Adv. Manisha Kayande, former MLA Raj Purohit, BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Commissioner Abhijit Bangar, and other senior officials.

 

Speaking at the event, CM Fadnavis said that the name ‘Sindoor’ was chosen in honor of the Indian Army’s valorous "Operation Sindoor" conducted after the Pahalgam terror attack. “It was a decisive strike across the border that destroyed terrorist camps in Pakistan. The name ‘Sindoor’ thus pays tribute to that bravery,” he said.

 

The bridge spans a total length of 342 meters, including 70 meters within the railway limits, and is expected to significantly ease Mumbai’s traffic congestion. CM Fadnavis praised the BMC for completing the technically challenging bridge in a short time despite the congested location over a railway line, and announced that the bridge would be open to traffic from 3:00 PM today.