While the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has changed the name of the Badli Mor metro station for the third time, locals are refusing to accept it. On Wednesday, hundreds of residents once again gathered near the upcoming metro station in north-west Delhi to protest the renaming of the Badli Mor station to Haiderpur. The protest led to traffic jams on Outer Ring Road in the morning hours as protestors, including leaders from the BJP and the Congress, blocked the road around the station.
The locals burnt effigies of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the renaming for the third time has allegedly been done by the Aam Aadmi Party MLA from the area, Vandana Kumari. RTI activist Atul Kumar said, “The station was named Badli Mor in 2012. The bus stand right in front of the upcoming station is also known as Badli Mor. Then why would anybody name the station after an obscure village which is more than one kilometre away.”
Mr. Kumar said the cost of the whole process of renaming a station runs up to Rs. 8 crore. “When the DMRC says its profits are thinning and is seeking a fare revision, why has it agreed to incur such unnecessary expenses? Both the surveys conducted for this place had suggested that the station be named Badli Mor,” he said. The local leaders announced that they are ready to fight a legal battle for the respect of the historical village. “I have decided to file a plea in the matter as the guidelines clearly state that the name of metro station should be decided on the popularity of location where it is constructed,” said Devendra Yadav, ex-MLA from Badli Assembly constituency.
The protesting residents have warned that they might stage a similar protest on the inauguration day of the line.
The Badli Mor or Haiderpur station will be part of the upcoming extension of the Huda City Centre-Jahangirpuri line. The corridor will be extended from Jahangirpuri ending to Samaypur Badli.
