Is changing the name of a city, state or country as easy as just changing a board? In recent times, the proposal to change the name of Kerala to “Keralaam”, naming “Seva Tirtha” in Delhi, the ongoing legal debate regarding the Hindi name of the Supreme Court metro station have again brought this question into discussion. In the last decade, names of cities were changed in many states including Uttar Pradesh. But behind this is a long legal process, many government approvals and expenditure of hundreds of crores of rupees. In such a situation, the question is how does a city or state change its name and how much does it cost?
8 names changed in UP in 10 years
The names of many cities and places were changed during the tenure of Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. The most popular names among these were Prayagraj of Allahabad, Ayodhya of Faizabad and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar of Mughalsarai Railway Station. Apart from this, Jhansi Railway Station was named Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station. The names of many other railway stations and public places were also changed. The government maintained that the purpose of these changes is to strengthen historical and cultural identity. At the same time, the opposition many times called these decisions political. After changing the name, changes were also made in new sign boards, government records, maps and documents.
Names of which cities and places were changed in the country?
The process of changing the name was not limited to Uttar Pradesh only. Calcutta in West Bengal was renamed as Kolkata, Bombay in Maharashtra as Mumbai, Madras as Chennai and Orissa as Odisha. In recent years, Aurangabad in Maharashtra was named Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad was named Dharashiv. In Delhi, Race Course Road was renamed as Lok Kalyan Marg and Rajpath was renamed as Duty Path. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the new PMO complex “Seva Teerth”. The very next day, the name of Udyog Bhawan station of Delhi Metro was also changed to “Seva Tirtha”. Similarly, Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 metro station was renamed as “Shri Ram Mandir Mayur Vihar”.
From Kerala to Keralam… why is the name changing?
In February this year, the Central Government approved the proposal to change the name of Kerala to “Keralaam”. Earlier in June 2024, the Kerala Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution demanding the name of the state as “Keralam” in the First Schedule of the Constitution. Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state has always been called “Kerala” in Malayalam language and this demand has been linked to the movement for a unified state of Malayalam speaking people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated “Seva Teerth” on February 13 and this proposal was approved in the first cabinet meeting held in the same complex.
Why did the matter reach the Supreme Court on changing the name of the metro station?
In the petition filed in the Delhi High Court, it has been demanded that instead of writing the Hindi name of the Supreme Court metro station as “Supreme Court”, the Hindi name should be changed to “Supreme Court”. Petitioner advocate Umesh Sharma says that “Supreme Court” is written in Hindi on the website and official board of the Supreme Court, hence the metro station should also have the same name. He cited the Official Languages Act, 1963. On the other hand, DMRC told the court that changing the name of a station costs Rs 40 to 45 lakh. Along with this, maps, signage and other records also have to be changed. However, the court said that merely saying that this will lead to more cases is not a sufficient argument. The court has sought answers from the Central Government and DMRC.
How is the name of a city or state changed?
The process of changing the name of a state in India is decided under Article 3 and Article 4 of the Constitution. A bill changing the name of a state can be introduced in Parliament only if the President recommends it. Before this, the President seeks the opinion of the concerned State Assembly. Although the opinion of the Assembly is not binding, it is necessary to consider it. After this, the bill is passed by a simple majority in both the houses of the Parliament and after getting the approval of the President, the new name becomes legally applicable. The Home Ministry examines proposals for changing the names of cities and other places. During this time, approval is also taken from departments like Postal Department, Survey of India and Railways, so that there is no administrative confusion.
How much does it cost to change name?
Changing the name of a city or state is not limited to just changing the sign board. With this, changes have to be made in government records, maps, land records, railway stations, airports, government websites, departmental documents, postal records and even digital databases. According to government estimates, changing the name of a city or state can cost around Rs 200 crore to Rs 500 crore. If the city is big and has more recognition at the international level, then this expenditure can reach up to Rs 1,000 crore. According to the report of Times of India, it was estimated that more than Rs 300 crore would be spent on renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj. Whereas in 1995, when Bombay was renamed as Mumbai, Indian Railways alone spent Rs 2.5 crore on changing sign boards, tickets and time tables. According to an estimate of the Finance Ministry, if ever the name of the country is changed from India to Bharat, it could cost around Rs 14,304 crore.
What is the reason behind changing the name and what are the challenges?
Governments give different arguments behind changing the name. These include reasons like bringing back historical identity, changing colonial era names, respecting local language and culture, honoring national heroes and creating a new identity. Supporters say that this increases the sense of pride among the people and strengthens the cultural heritage. Critics believe that this increases administrative expenses, puts a burden on government resources and people have to face confusion for a long time. Old names remain in people’s memories and everyday language for a long time. This is the reason why even today many people call Varanasi as Banaras and Prayagraj as Allahabad.
What did the Supreme Court say on changing the name?
In the year 2023, the Supreme Court had rejected a PIL, which demanded the formation of a commission to restore the names of “Ancient India”. The court had clearly said that the country cannot become a prisoner of the past. The court also acknowledged that looking at history selectively could create divisions in the society. At the same time, hearing is going on in the Delhi High Court regarding the Hindi name of the Supreme Court Metro station. The court has asked DMRC and the Central Government to present their stand under the Official Languages Act, 1963 and Official Languages Rules, 1976. It is clear from this that the issue of changing the name has now become not only an administrative but also a part of legal and linguistic debate.
Name is not just identity, also a part of history and politics
Today the debate on changing the name in India is not limited to changing the board only. Examples from Kerala like Keralam, Seva Teerth, Lok Kalyan Marg, Dutva Path, Prayagraj and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar show that history, culture, politics and public sentiments are also associated with names. On one hand, governments call it the restoration of cultural identity, while on the other hand, questions are raised about its administrative expenses and practical impact. This is the reason that even after new names are registered in government documents, old names often remain on people’s lips.
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