(Copyright of the pictures rest with the respective photographers)
If one looks at the use of words in English, Hindi and other languages on station signs then many inconsistencies can be found. Here are samples from different parts of the country.
We start with this place in a somewhat remote part of Assam. North is transcribed into Hindi, but one can make out that it is “Uttor” in Assamese.
It is a normal practice to use the Hindi word “Chhavni” for Cantonment. Not everywhere. Here are two examples from Karnataka, where both Chhavni and Hindi Cantonment are used:
Our next stop is the station formerly known as Chakki Bank and now Pathankot Cantt. See the Hindi and Punjabi signs at the same station:
Hope the concerned persons have made up their mind now.
Similarly at Nellore South where both Dakshin and Hindi South are/were used:
(Can someone clarify what is written in Telugu?)
Elsewhere in South India, a standard pattern for Hindi words is not followed:
Note that South and Town have been transcribed (not translated) into Malayalam. (Can someone clarify what is written in Kannada for Bengaluru East?)
Various forts:
In Chennai, the Tamil word has been transcribed into Hindi. In Ankai Killa, the suffix is in Hindi unlike in the other places.
Now to some well-known stations in Assam which are now closed:
The words Lower and Hill have been transcribed into Hindi and Assamese.
There are many “New” stations on the NF zone, but only one “Old”:
Here the words New and Old have been transcribed into Hindi, Bengali and Assamese.
But for variety we have:
New Amravati is in Maharashtra, hence the top line is supposed to be in Marathi.
Our last stop is at Agra, which has Cantt, Fort and City:
Here at least a consistent pattern has been followed.
But you can see that the usage of English words in Hindi and other languages is quite arbitrary all over the country.
abn397 