Reportage: Archana Masih
Photograph: Jewella C Miranda

Eight years before the first Olympic games in Athens in 1896, CST was a functional railway terminus and headquarter of one of the biggest rail networks.

Sir Jagganath Shankarshett and Sir Jamshetji Jeejeebhoy, the latter after whom the JJ School of Art and JJ Hospital are named, were the two Indian directors of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.

Their pictures flank the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the foyer. These two doyens of Mumbai, who contributed handsomely towards building the city, are also carved on the façade of the building among the 10 directors of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.

"What is unique about CST is that it is still being used for the same purpose it was originally built for -- as headquarters and functional railway station," says Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Sunil Jain, who is ecstatic that the terminus secured heritage status during his tenure.

The Central Railway submitted its application to UNESCO two years ago. The bulky report took a year to be completed and consisted of historical details, photographs, functional purpose, the present condition of the building etc.

UNESCO delegates inspected the building twice and gave its approval in July, making CST the second heritage railway station in India after the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

There are 26 world heritage sites in India.

The two main requirements of the new status for CST was the removal of hoardings around the building and no additions to the existing structure.