The Aurangzeb Lane in Lutyens’ Delhi has been renamed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lane, NDMC officials announced on June 28. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) approved the renaming of the road in a meeting of its members.
Notably, The NDMC had in August 2015 changed the name of Aurangzeb Road to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road. The Aurangzeb Lane connects the Abdul Kalam Road with Prithvi Raj Road.
“An agenda item was placed before the Council to consider renaming ‘Aurangzeb Lane’ under the NDMC area as ‘Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Lane’ in terms of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 231 of the New Delhi Municipal Act, 1994,” a statement from NDMC Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay said.
“Aurangzeb Road was renamed as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in 2015. But this lane was still known as Aurangzeb Lane and its change was pending. The council has now decided to approve the renaming of this lane on similar lines,” Upadhyay said, adding that Aurangzeb, the 17th century Mughal ruler, had no place here.
“The Council has approved the renaming of Aurangzeb Lane as Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam Lane. To respect the sentiments of people, the need to recognize and honour great men and women of our times, roads/ streets/ institutions have been re-named in the past,” the statement further reads.
An NDMC official said following the renaming of Aurangzeb Road in 2015, this is the first time the issue to rename the lane was formally raised. “It was raised in the same council meeting and subsequently passed,” the official added.
In 2015, the name of the Aurangzeb Road was changed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road by the council after then East Delhi MP Maheish Girri wrote to the Prime Minister Modi and Delhi Chief Minister asking that “mistakes in history” be corrected.
Aurangzeb road begins at the Taj Mansingh hotel near India Gate and joins Safdarjung Road near the official residence of the Prime Minister.
The NDMC has also given its assent to the extension of the validity of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011.
The Council also accorded its approval and sanctioned expenditure of approximately Rs 25 crore for the work of desilting and rehabilitation of bigger sewer lines.
“The sewerage system of the NDMC area is more than 80 years old, it has outlived its useful life and these are grossly inadequate to cater to the present and future needs,” Upadhyay said.
“The Council accords the administrative approval and expenditure sanction of amounting to Rs 25 crore approximately for the work of De-silting and rehabilitation of dia 990 to 1,143 mm dia sewer line by Structural Liner method from Shanti Path to Satya Sadan, Madhu Limaye Marg via Kautilya Marg and along Kushak Nallah under Phase-III along with permission to split up the work in part-A & B for separate Detailed Estimate for main work ie lining work and its pre & post consultancy work respectively,” he added.
A sum of Rs 600 lakh has been allocated under the budgetary proposal for the year 2023-24 for the procurement of “allopathic” medicines, he said.
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