Now, a 'common man' can have a street named after him in Delhi

New Delhi: Residents of north Delhi can now buy name tags of a public place or property in return for its maintenance. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation in a special meeting of the House chaired by the Leader of the House Meera Aggarwal approved the proposal during its budget finalisation on Friday but the option comes with a few riders.

"As per this plan, people can buy name tags of say a park, street, school, community centre, hospitals after their grandfather or anyone whom they think deserves the honour due to their work in the past," a senior NDMC official said. But, the idea would first have to be cleared by the NDMC's Naming Committee, which would weigh in the merit of the proposed names before putting the seal on it.

According to the municipal rule, the proposal is first examined on a zonal-level by its ward committee and then it comes under the Naming Committee, headed by the Mayor. The Standing Committee then tables it in its meet and the final approval is given by the municipal House.

"So, it is not that we are allowing anybody to name anything after anybody. There is a due process. Just because, someone can pay for naming, doesn't mean that we will allow it," Chairman of NDMC's Standing Committee Mohan Bhardwaj said.

"There is a procedure in getting a place or property named. And, the merit of the proposal would be analysed and examined on social and moral grounds by the Naming Committee before giving any approval," he said.

The idea also was to generate additional revenue, the official said.

"We realised that apart from places and properties being named after famous and eminent people, common people could also get named as per their choice to bring in extra revenues.

"It is like people paying extra to get a VIP car number. And the earning could be used in maintaining such properties," he said.

Congress councillor and Leader of Opposition Mukesh Goel had opposed the move earlier as "inappropriate" and "illogical".

The budget proposal in November 19 last year had said that "the Naming Committee invariably finds itself politically and morally on wrong foot to recommend a name after which a street or park is to be named".

The House on Friday also rejected all proposed new taxes and hike in old ones. It also approved Rs 6 crore for 'Swachh Bharat' campaign in its areas.