BHOPAL: Three weeks have passed since Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the newly built Boulevard Street would be christened ‘Atal Path’, but Smart City is yet to change its name. The 200 symbols and signage of Boulevard Street on Atal Path is the regard that Smart City has shown the words of the chief minister.
Chouhan had announced that the newly inaugurated Boulevard Street would be named after former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. But, even three weeks after the chief minister’s announcement, the officials have not removed even a single signage or symbol of Boulevard Street.
No person travelling down the street is aware of the new name and, when questioned, they say they know it as Boulevard Street. Smart City, too, is yet to rename the street in its official documents. They have only installed a signage of Atal Path at Platinum Plaza. But the officials have not yet removed the symbols on the chairs and bins where Boulevard Street is written. Even an under-construction pathway is painted with the symbol of Boulevard Street that shows how attentive the Smart City officials are towards the words of the chief minister.
Boulevard Street, Bhopal | FP photo
Boulevard Street, among other projects of Smart City, was inaugurated by Chouhan on February 1. At the time, he had said that the road would now be called ‘Atal Path’. But the signage ‘Atal Path’ is not visible from any corner and one has to search for it. We also quizzed a few visitors about the name of the street and they all echoed in one voice that they had come to Boulevard Street.
The 185 benches on both sides of the road bear the words, ‘Boulevard Street’. Besides, 30 compost units on both sides and other signboards show that the road is ‘Boulevard Street’.
Chief executive officer (CEO), Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL), Aditya Singh says they have started the process of withdrawing the benches and other materials bearing the words ‘Boulevard Street’.
He said the smart poles and signage would be allotted for advertisements for which they had floated tenders. Once the tender process was over, the party concerned would be asked to use ‘Atal Path’ on the top, he said.
Smart City has installed a signage of a very small size, ‘Atal Path’, at an isolated spot. The signage is not visible and one has to search for it, while symbols of ‘Boulevard Street’ are visible everywhere, from all corners.
