LAHORE, Nov 14: Following recommendation of a sub-committee, the Dilkash Lahore Project core group finally approved on Wednesday naming as many as 26 city roads, intersections, interchanges and underpasses after renowned personalities of the sub-continent.
The core group in a meeting presided over by Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday (retired), took the decision after District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal formally submitted recommendations of the project's sub-committee formed for the purpose.
These included naming Shadman’s Fawara Chowk after Bhagat Singh and the entire Canal Road underpasses and another at the GT Road after various important personalities of the region.
The group’s approvals include naming underpasses at Doctors' Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, New Campus, Muslim Town, Ferozepur Road, FC College, Jail Road, The Mall Road, Dharampura, Mughalpura, Harbanspura, Canal Road and Barki Road (at the GT Road) after Chaudhry Rehmat Ali, Chaakar-e-Azam Rind, Khushhal Khan Khattak, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Khan Liaqat Ali Khan, Justice A R Cornelius, Waris Shah, Bulleh Shah, Hussain Shaheed Suharwardi, Habba Khatoon, Jogindar Lal Mandal and Colnel Mirza Hassan Khan Gilgati, respectively.
It also approved naming the under-construction Model Town underpass after poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz. It approved Niazi, Ravi, Mahmood Booti and Babu Sabu Interchanges after Ikramullah Niazi, Ustad Daman, Nusrta Fateh Ali Khan and Sadequain, respectively.
Similarly, the committee allowed naming Saggian bridge after Justice A R Kayani, Akbar Chowk (Township) after Jalaluddin Akbar, 7-up Chowk (Gulberg) after Waheed Murad, Fawara Chowk (Shadman) after Bhagat Singh, Hamdard Chowk after Hakeem Muhammad Saeed, Cooperative Chowk after Allama Rasheed Ahmad Turabi, Fort Road after Maualana Abdul Qadir Azad, Istanbul Chowk after Pitras Bukhari and Qaddafi Stadium Road (Main Gate to Liberty) after Hafeez Kardad.
While discussing the case related to naming Fawara Chowk after Bhagat Singh, the participants highlighted importance of the place where Mr Singh was hanged by the British rulers of India.
"Quaid-e-Azam too appreciated Bhagat Singh in his speech on September 13, 1947," Journlist Iftikhar Ahmad, a member of the committee told the meeting. The participants also decided to rename Chowk Nakhuda (Misri Shah) and other city roads and intersection after various known personalities. It also decided not to name any city road or intersection after any living personality.
Earlier, the DCO briefed the core committee about services of the personalities, after whom the city spots were named, for the federation and the sub-continent.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Ramday said Islam as well as the constitution had always respected and protected rights of minorities including Sikhs, Hindus, Chrisrtians and others.
"That is why we are considering various important personalities whether Muslims or Sikhs, Hindus, Christians or others," he added. Meanwhile, the participants of the meeting also discussed various hurdles in the way of restoration of various buildings of the British era in the city.
