Panchkula: Civic body wants to rename roads after community leaders, faces flak

The proposal is to be discussed in the upcoming House meeting of the Corporation on December 16, and if passed, would require approval from the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) before implementation.

“This is unnecessary. Madhya Marg is named as such because it is the connecting link between Chandigarh and Panchkula. It will lose its significance if it is renamed. But the bigger question is what is the need to give community representation? Panchkula is doing well without such representation,” said Swadesh Nayyar, president, Citizen Welfare Association.
Sir Chhotu Ram was a prominent pre-partition Rohtak born politician of undivided Punjab and a Jat icon. Maharaja Agarsen was the king of Agroha, from whom the Aggarwal community is believed to have descended. Sections of Dalits revere Valmiki, the sage who wrote the Ramayana.

The MC had earlier passed a proposal for renaming the Amartex Chowk leading to Industrial Area I as Bhagwan Parshuram Chowk, and the road leading from Sector 17 to Sector 20 as Bhagwan Parshuram Marg. Councillor Omwati Pooniam who proposed this, refused to comment on the fresh proposal.

The proposal invited criticism from residents across the town, who termed the move by the councilors as ‘political’, aimed at expanding the voter base in their wards.

However, some residents, such as those part of Resident Welfare Association, Sector 12, said such a move may help in identification of the road, and highlighted that they would want Sector 12 roundabout to be renamed as ‘Sainik Chowk’.

Councilor C B Goel from Ward no 9 pointed out that the plan would prove ‘harmful’ in the long run. “I had opposed it then and I will oppose it now. Once you start giving such representation, several other communities will come forward and demand renaming of other roads.”.

Terming the proposal as “a waste of time and energy,” Lily Bawa, councillor, Ward no 14 said, “It is absurd. With issues such as bad roads and poorly maintained bus-queue shelters, what is the need to waste time in renaming roads. Let’s repair them first.”