Sachin effect: MCD can’t rename areas, roads, says Sheila

Coming down heavily on MCD for attempting to rename Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar, Delhi government has told the civic agency not to go ahead with any such proposal.

Coming down heavily on MCD for attempting to rename Chandni Chowk after Sachin Tendulkar, Delhi government has told the civic agency not to go ahead with any such proposal. Not only this, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit has said that the civic agency is not empowered to rename any area or road in the city.

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According to Delhi government officials, a letter was sent to the municipal commissioner KS Mehra stating that any attempt to rename Chandni Chowk will be a violation of the guidelines issued by Union Government as it was not empowered to do so. The letter further stated that the ‘great historical, heritage and cultural importance’ of Chandni Chowk, which is known for its unique sprit of co-existence across the world, will be undermined if the civic body went ahead with the demand.

BJP councillor Suman Kumar Gupta had said that he will move a proposal in this regard in the MCD House meeting scheduled on January 11. However, later he said that he will be moving a proposal to name one of the streets in Chandni Chowk after Tendulkar.

The demand has also elicited criticism from Dr KN Katju Memorial Trust chaired by Press Council chairperson Justice Markandey Katju. The trust in a letter to Mayor Rajni Abbi had termed the move an insult to the ‘cultural heritage’ of the country.

“MCD is, probably, aware that a State Naming Committee is functional in the city government whose permission is essential to effect any renaming of roads/streets in the Capital,” the letter said.

The government also cautioned the MCD against changing names of the roads, saying such a move may ‘create confusion’ for the post offices and general public.