Ranchi
The Jharkhand government has initiated a process to identify and rename roads, localities, colonies and public places in urban areas bearing caste-based, derogatory or discriminatory names.
The Urban Development and Housing Department has officially notified the Jharkhand Municipal (Naming and Numbering of Roads, Streets, Localities and Public Places) Rules. Under the new rules, urban local bodies will not be allowed to assign names that are caste-based, communally sensitive or insulting to any community, gender or social group.
The state government’s Urban Development Department, designated as the Naming Authority, will have the final say on naming and renaming proposals.
One-time survey to identify objectionable names
As part of the rules, every municipality will constitute a survey team within 30 days of their implementation to identify objectionable names within its jurisdiction. The team will be headed by the Municipal Commissioner or Executive Officer and will have 90 days to submit its report.
The municipality will then forward the report, along with its recommendations, to the state-level Naming and Rationalisation Committee within the stipulated period.
The committee, headed by the Director of Municipal Administration, will examine survey reports and proposals and submit its recommendations to the Naming Authority within 60 days.
Names that will not be allowed
The rules prohibit names that are casteist, communally sensitive, offensive or capable of promoting hostility on the basis of religion, race, caste, community or language.
Names likely to cause confusion with existing roads or localities, particularly in postal, revenue, police or emergency services, will also be disallowed.
The name of a living person cannot be assigned to a road or locality without prior approval of the state government. Names of persons convicted of offences involving moral turpitude or crimes against the state will also not be considered.
Public objections before renaming
Municipalities can initiate the process of renaming an existing road or locality on their own or on the basis of an application carrying signatures of at least one-fourth of registered voters of the concerned ward.
The proposed change will be published in local newspapers, inviting objections and suggestions from the public within 30 days.
However, in cases involving directions from a Human Rights Commission, court or other statutory authority, the Naming Authority may order an immediate change without following the prior-publication procedure.
Bilingual signboards, free record updates
Approved names will be displayed on standardised signboards in Hindi and English, or another local scheduled language, at both ends and entry points of roads and localities.
After a name change, the Unique Premises Number Register will be updated within 60 days. Residents and property owners will not be charged any fee for such changes.
The rules also prescribe penalties for damaging, removing, defacing or unauthorisedly replacing official nameplates or numbers under the relevant provisions of the Jharkhand Municipal Act.
The new rules will prevail over any existing municipal bye-laws or regulations in case of conflict or inconsistency.
