Good morning, Delhi! Aurangzeb Lane has now been renamed to… | VIDEO

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) announced that the Aurangzeb Lane in the area will be renamed as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane.

Delhiites woke up Thursday morning to yet another re-named stretch of road after Aurangzeb Lane in the centre of the city was changed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane. The change was unanimously approved by the New Delhi Municipal Council in a special meeting convened last week.

NDMC officials change the signage board after the name of Auranzeb lane is being renamed to APJ Abdul Kalam Lane in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna)

Aurangzeb Lane (now Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane) is located off what was once Aurangzeb Lane but was renamed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in 2015. At the time, though, the lane retained the original name. The NDMC was prompted by 'historical concerns' to re-visit and re-name this piece of road.

NDMC vice chairperson Satish Upadhyay declared historical connotations associated with Aurangzeb - the 17th-century Mughal emperor - were deemed 'inappropriate' for the lane's new identity. He further declared Aurangzeb had no relevance or place in the contemporary context of the area.

In a statement, the civic body, said, "An agenda item is placed before the Council to consider the renaming of 'Aurangzeb Lane' under the NDMC area as 'Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane' in terms of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 231 of the New Delhi Municipal Act, 1994. The Council has approved the renaming of Aurangzeb Lane as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane."

READ | Delhi’s Aurangzeb Lane to be renamed after ex-President Abdul Kalam

Dr Abdul Kalam, a renowned scientist and former President of India, is widely regarded as the nation's 'Missile Man' after having played a key role in the missile and space technology programs.

Re-naming of Aurangzeb Road sparked debate

The 2015 decision to re-name Aurangzeb Road provoked criticism from some historians, who argued it reflected a 'slanted view' of history and could lead to unintended consequences.

Noted historian Narayani Gupta said the re-naming exercise was due to a lack of understanding of history. The road - with others named after Mughal rulers like Akbar and Shahjahan - was initially designated by the British during the design of New Delhi.

These names, including those honouring rulers like Ashoka, were suggested by renowned historian Percival Spear, who taught history at Delhi's St. Stephen's College at the time.

READ | Aurangzeb Road renaming will 'open up a can of worms': Historians

Gupta had argued then against removing historically significant names like Aurangzeb without considering the historical context and suggested the establishment of a science museum for Dr Kalam as a more fitting tribute