Around six signboards of newly-renamed Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Road put up recently by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) don’t have the name painted in Punjabi and Urdu. According to NDMC officials, the delay is due to shortage of language experts.
“We do have our own painters, but we want an expert in both the languages so that there is no mistake,” said Kanwar Singh Tanwar, vice-chairman, NDMC. “However, none of our painters know the language well and hence, the delay. But we have asked for the experts and the boards will soon be painted in the other two languages too.”
But in Delhi there is no shortage of experts in the two languages. “It’s not that Punjabi and Urdu languages are slowly getting extinct. There are so many experts and painters available,” said Manjit Singh, a professor with Delhi University, and a member of the governing council of Punjabi Academy. He said that if the Delhi government wanted, it could’ve asked Urdu and Punjabi academies to send in their experts. “The academies are there for this purpose.”
All signboards in Lutyens’ Delhi have four languages – Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu. But, the newly-erected Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road boards have only two languages. “These boards were put up in a hurry as the decision to rename was challenged in the High Court and it was to be heard on Friday. That is why it was done in the early hours of Friday so that the council could show the court,” said a source.
However, NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar said that the boards would be painted in the other languages as well. “We will get it done soon.”
It was in the early hours of Friday that workers of the NDMC erased all signs of the Mughal emperor to repaint with that of former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. “It has been over five days and the council hasn’t fully painted the boards. They say they intend to put the name in Punjabi and Urdu as well, but why is such a long wait?” said Mr. Singh. The NDMC decided to change the name of the road following three separate proposals, including from two BJP MPs.
if the Delhi government wanted, it could’ve asked Urdu and Punjabi academies to send in their experts. The academies are there for this purpose
