The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) formerly known as Victoria Terminus is a historic railway station and serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways. It is located in Mumbai on the Western Part of India touching the shores of the Arabian Sea.

Built in 1888, the station is the grand reminder of the British Raj pre-independence and is still one of the most historical landmarks within the Central Business District (CBD) of Mumbai. A bustling terminus, the CST is well-connected by rail to all parts of the country. It stands as the final result of great industrial revolution technology, merged with Victorian/Gothic revival styles based on late-Italian model architecture. The structure represents the heart of the mercantile facet of the city and also symbolizes the British Commonwealth. Apart from being Victorian-Gothic in architecture, parts of this grand edifice also contain remnants of Mughal styled architecture.

Outstanding Universal Value

This building, designed by F. W. Stevens, is spread across a 2.85 hectare area. The terminal was built over a period of 10 years starting in 1878. This is one of the finest functional Railway Station buildings of the world and is used by more than three million commuters daily. This property is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Architectural Revival in India, blended with the themes derived from Indian Traditional Architecture. Its remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. It is an outstanding example of the fusion of two cultures, as British architects worked with Indian craftsmen to include Indian architectural tradition and idioms thus forging a new style unique to Mumbai. This was the first terminus station in the subcontinent. It became a commercial palace representing the economic wealth of the nation.

Criterion (ii): Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) exhibits an important interchange of influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture, and from Indian Traditional buildings. It became a symbol for Mumbai as a major mercantile port city on the Indian subcontinent within the British Commonwealth.

Criterion (iv): Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) is an outstanding example of late 19th century railway architecture in the British Commonwealth, characterized by Victorian Gothic Revival and traditional Indian Features, as well as its advanced structural and technical solutions.

Source:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/945

https://www.mumbai.org.uk/victoria-terminal.html

https://blog.easemytrip.com/top-unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-india/