Delhi govt proposes renaming of Shahjahanbad Redevelopment Corporation

The Delhi government has zeroed in on three names to rename Shahjahanbad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), the agency that looks after the revamp of the walled city areas, official sources said on Wednesday.

The names shortlisted were ‘Indraprastha Virasat Punarsthaapana Nigam,’ ‘Indraprastha Dharohar Sanrakshan Evam Vikas Parishad,’ and ‘Indraprastha Punarutthan Parishad,’ they said.

Indraprastha is considered the ancient Mahabharat-era name of the present-day national capital.

Several BJP leaders, including Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal and city MLA Poonam Sharma, have called for the renaming of even Delhi as Indraprastha.

SRDC, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is named after the Shahjahanabad city, built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan, who also oversaw the construction of the iconic Jama Masjid and Red Fort in Old Delhi.

Officials said the final choice on the name will be made soon.

The proposal to rename the agency after Indraprastha was made in a recent meeting chaired by the chief minister, said a senior government officer.

Khandelwal, a member of SRDC, suggested ‘Indraprastha Redevelopment Corporation’ and ‘Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Corporation’ as the new names.

The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation is a non-profit set up under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956.

The agency is charged with protecting and conserving existing heritage sites, including ancient city walls, gates, bridges, vistas, public places, edicts and rock cut formations, and improving civic services such as water supply, sewerage, electricity supply and public transport to them.