Renaming of roads and crossings would be welcomed if the new names could be made popular. That unfortunately does not easily happen. A decision has been taken to rename Katghar Crossing as Harivansh Rai Bachchan Chauraha.
This may be acceptable because that was the area in which the poet spent early years of his life. But what about Clive Road? It was renamed, ‘Mehta Netra Chikisalaya Marg’ several decades ago. But no one calls it by that name. People still refer to it as Clive Road. It would still not be too late to rename the Clive Road (Mehta Netra Chikitsalaya Marg ) as Amitabh Bachchan Road. People will remember the name, the road because it was in a house on this road that Amitabh Bachchan spent his childhood and school days while studying at the local Boys High School.
The Nagar Nigam now suffers from the fad of renaming roads that acquired new names long, long ago. Sometimes they have to revert to the old name as it happened in the case of Sir C.Y.Chintamani Road(named after the editor of The Leader, an English daily founded by Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya). This road was renamed after a former mayor. Those who made the change were not aware of the stature of Chintamani. But when powerful voices were raised, the old name was restored. Likewise now they are thinking of renaming the Patrika Marg. But that is the new name the road acquired some 50 years ago. It was earlier named after some petty British officer. And the renaming ceremony was performed by the then acting Governor of UP, the late Chief Justice Shashi Kanta Verma with Tushar Kanti Ghosh the legendary editor presiding over the function. Patrika Chauraha, however, is different. The crossing of Tashkent Marg and Stanley Road is referred to as Patrika Marg because the offices of the Patrika group of newspapers are closeby.
