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HT This Day: October 8, 1953 -- Punjab capital at Chandigarh inaugurated
President Dr Rajendra Prasad praises work of engineers and architects; 50,000 attend colourful and impressive ceremony
Chandigarh: Well over 50,000 people witnessed the colourful inaugural ceremony of Punjab’s new capital here today as the setting sun lit up the windowpanes of buildings in the overlooking Kasauli hills.
From a corner of the packed enclosure, where 9,000 guests were seated, the band of the frontier constabulary played a soft tune when, after an inspiring speech, the President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, rose to unveil the town s master-plan.
The gathering, which included the Rajpramukh of P.E.P.S.U., the Lieut. Governor of Himachal Pradesh and two Central Ministers, Sardar Swaran Singh and Sardar Surjit Singh Majithia, then broke up and streamed into the adjoining enclosure where tea, music and fireworks on a lavish scale awaited them.
Famed pyrotechnists from Saharanpur had been engaged to highlight the display. While the speeches were in progress the microphone system failed, and the serried spectators, most of whom had come from the neighbouring villages, repeatedly surged forward. The police at the farther end of the shamiana were seen flourishing their batons to hold them back.
Most of those ousted from the 19 villages that comprise the 9,000 acres of the capital site had also come to see the rising town. Not long ago they rained stones on the staff detailed to acquire their lands. Today they looked happy as the town was absorbing them in its expansive economy. It has already a population of 20,000.
While in their speeches the Chief Minister, Mr. Bhimsen Sachar, and the Project Minister, Mr. Gurbachan Singh Bajwa, were concerned with the why and how of the capital project, the Governor, Mr C. P. N. Singh, recalled that it was Kurukshetra, another part of Punjab, which inspired the message of the Gita. He was glad to say that Punjabis had imbibed that message as believers in action. And Chandi would give them added strength in their efforts to recover from the effects of partition and to rehabilitate themselves.
After delivering his written address, the President spoke extempore to give a word of cheer to the harassed people of the State. He said they had displayed rare courage and fortitude in grappling with the terrifying post-partition problems. Yet they had the weakness of their strength. “ I know their drawbacks,” Dr Prasad said. He called on the frontier people to so conduct themselves as to be emulated and respected by their neighbours across the border. They would do well not to be deflected from their constructive effort by any considerations of groups and factions.
Mr P. N. Thapar, Adviser to the Planning Commission, headed the band of builders who were presented to the President.
Text of speech
The following is the text of the President’s speech:
“ I consider it a great pleasure and a privilege to inaugurate this new capital town of Punjab. It is a pleasure because the new capital symbolizes the urge, the indomitable desire of the people of this State to come into their own by getting over the temporary set-back which partition gave them. It is a privilege because an opportunity of inaugurating the capital city of a State like Punjab comes only rarely.
“ I congratulate the Government of Punjab, specially the engineers and the administrators whose doggedness is mainly responsible for turning a dream into a reality. I remember how, not long ago, the capital project was looked upon by a section of the people as a mirage, a mere dream and a luxury having little chance of materializing. It was contended by spokesmen of the Punjab Government that the new capital would be the largest single step towards the rehabilitation of displaced persons. Thanks to your perseverance, the sympathy and monetary assistance extended by the Centre in an unbounded measure and, above all, thanks to the unstinted support you were able to enlist of our Prime Minister. Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, all the hurdles were soon crossed and doubts dispelled.
“ It is indeed a tribute to the zeal and ability of the engineers and architects that within a little more than two years of the start of the work, the Government has found the rising city suitable enough to be occupied and used as a capital.
Most modern town
“ As one goes round and sees this new township one cannot help feeling that it is going to be one of the most modern towns in this country. Apart from the many advantages it will bestow upon the people of this State, this city has also provided ample scope for new experiments in town-planning and architecture. In this new town, I am told, the needs of the people have been harmonized with architectural requirements and considerations of utility and bare comforts of the residents have been collated with the requirements of aesthetics and modern designing. “Chandigarh can be justly proud of having the best living quarters for peons and duftaris in India. Each residential unit for this class of employees here contains rooms, a small verandah, yard, a kitchen, a bath-room and a pull-the-plug lavatory. Three water-taps and four electric points have also been provided in each unit, Similarly, in other spheres of life, the planning of Chandigarh promises to be unique in many respects.
Steadying influence
“As the Biblical saying goes, sometimes good cometh out of evil. If I may say so, the coming into being of Chandigarh is going to compensate the people of the State for their recent sufferings and inconveniences. Planned and designed as the capital is and situated as it is at the foot of the hills. I am certain, in course of time, it will become a prize possession for the people of this State and, possibly. the envy of other States. When new rail and road links, now in the making, are completed, Chandigarh will almost become the most central place in Punjab. It is going to have a steadying influence on the administration and economic development of the State.
“With the move of the Government to the new capital, Chandigarh enters a new phase. You have been privileged to see a new town rise up during your life-time. You will now have an opportunity to build up its civic traditions, because town is not merely a collection of buildings, howsoever well-designed; it is what its citizens make it.
“Let me hope that Chandigarh will in every sense be an expression of the urge to forge ahead and the creative genius of the sturdy people of this State. To the extent that the new town of Chandigarh will be free from old traditions and encumbrances of any kind, I hope it will blaze a trail not only for those who come and stay here, but also for others. I also hope its residents would develop the best traditions of citizenship.
“I have great pleasure in inaugurating this new town and wishing it, the State Government and the people happiness and prosperity.”
