Not just another day, it?s UP?s b?day!

JANUARY 26 this year is just another day in the life of the people unlike the previous year when the event evoked, perhaps for the first time, considerable public response especially among the city?s business community. Ironically, unlike citizens elsewhere in the country, Lucknowites, nay, in fact, the entire UPites have more than one reason to rejoice on this occasion. This is because the State, earlier known as United Provinces, was renamed as Uttar Pradesh in 1950 on this particular day.

JANUARY 26 this year is just another day in the life of the people unlike the previous year when the event evoked, perhaps for the first time, considerable public response especially among the city’s business community.

HT Image

Ironically, unlike citizens elsewhere in the country, Lucknowites, nay, in fact, the entire UPites have more than one reason to rejoice on this occasion. This is because the State, earlier known as United Provinces, was renamed as Uttar Pradesh in 1950 on this particular day.

Shops, not only in the Hazratganj arcade but also in other business nerve centres of the city like Aminabad, Alambagh etc were especially decked up and illuminated by their owners some of whom had even announced especial R-Day discount for customers. Though government and public buildings have been decorated, this has been done more as a ritual sans any kind of participation from the people.

So why is the gaiety and fervour missing this time round? “We had made elaborate special lightening arrangements not only in our shops but illuminated the entire Hazratganj road stretch much in advance of the R-Day last year all because the then DM Aradhana Shukla had personally approached us to do so,” said president of the Hazratganj Traders’ Association Kishinchand Bhambwani.

Chandra Kumar Chabra of the Lucknow Vyapar Mandal expressed similar views. “In fact, we had had several interactions and meeting with the administration officials in working out the details and planning the whole thing,” recalls Anil Virmani president of Charbagh Vyapar Mandal. “It is not that we did not decorate the market simply because nobody asked us to do so. It is just that the idea did not occur either to the authorities or us,” said Ajai Chawla of Alambagh Vyapar Mandal.

So was it a slip up on the part of the administration too.

While District Magistrate RN Tripathi when contacted was not available for comments nobody else in the administration was willing to go on record on the issue.