Despite being renamed decades ago, many British-era streets and institutions across the country retain their original identity in people’s consciousness even as rechristening of several public places has bred confusion between the old and the modern generations.
Anuradha Reddy, 69, still looks for Willingdon Hospital and Willingdon Airport whenever she visits Delhi from Hyderabad, only to get quizzical looks from auto-rickshaw drivers.
“Autowallahs just give me a blank stare whenever I tell them to take me towards Willingdon Hospital (now RML Hospital) or Willingdon Airport (now Safdarjung Airport) flyover, as if I am imagining something. I have been visiting Delhi often and for me and my mother, the new names never come on the lips,” she told PTI.
Reddy, convener of the Hyderabad Chapter of Delhi-based Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (INTACH), says, “renaming exercises” have “robbed” various vibrant cities of their character, and created confusion among people.
“I still use Bombay and Calcutta, but my children say Mumbai and Kolkata. And, Bangalore was changed to Bengaluru, I find it silly. In next 10 years, children growing up would not know the historical connect,” she said.
While old-timers and new generations may be experiencing a communication gap on ‘Willingdon’ and ‘RML’ nomenclatures, the capital city’s iconic ‘Connaught Place’ continues to enjoy its original identity in the consciousness of people, of all age.
In Patna too, several colonial-era street names still are referred to by their old monikers, even though they were rechristened after Independence. The famous ‘Bailey Road’, ’Fraser Road’, ‘Mangles Road’, ‘Circular Road’, ‘Strand Road’ and ‘Hardinge Road’ are still in vogue.
“If you ask anybody in Patna where is Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, I am sure, no one would be able to guide, but if you ask directions for Bailey Road, every single person would do so.
“The idea of renaming a street is foolish, politicians and government should focus on town planning and making the city better for citizens, not fiddling with historical names,” says octogenarian S K Sinha, former Chief Town Planner of Bihar.
In Delhi, the ‘Aurangzeb Road’ was earlier rechristened to ‘Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’ and the ‘Race Course Road’ was recently renamed as ‘Lok Kalyan Marg’ drawing sharp reactions from various quarters. The DMRC has also renamed ‘Race Course Metro Station’ in line with the new identity.
INTACH Delhi convener and noted architect AGK Menon says, renaming “destroys” the character of a city.
“A city like Delhi has multiple layers of history. By renaming the streets and places, slowly those layers are being erased. Politicians resort to such quixotic ideas to earn a few populist brownie points.
“They can very well build new roads or start scholarships and schemes in the name of great personalities, but, that will involve real work. So, it is like picking the lowest fruits in the branch,” he said.