Delhi govt should approach MHA to change Old Delhi rail station name, say officials

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta should have approached the Home Ministry, Railway Board officials said on Wednesday after she wrote to Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking to change the name of Old Delhi Railway Station to Maharaja Agrasen.

Officials said the Ministry of Home Affairs is the competent authority to approve the change in the name of a railway station. It does so on the recommendation of the state government concerned.

To change the name of a station, the chief secretary of a state writes to the Home Ministry after getting due approval from the Cabinet, an official said.

''Once the Home Ministry approves (the proposal), keeping the Railway Ministry in the loop, the state government can issue a gazette notification in this regard. The Zonal Railway implements the change of name of railway stations,'' a senior railway board official said.

He added, ''The chief minister's letter has created a buzz rather than addressing the real issue.'' CM Gupta sought the change in the name of the station ''in honour of Maharaja Agrasen, a revered historical figure whose legacy has had a profound impact on the socio-economic development of India, particularly in Delhi''.

Gupta, in her letter, said, ''Renaming the Old Delhi Railway Station as Maharaja Agrasen Railway Station would serve as a fitting tribute to his enduring contributions and would deeply resonate with the sentiments of millions of Delhi residents who hold him in the highest esteem.'' The Delhi CM, when asked about her letter to the Railway Minister on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday, said, ''There were requests from people. We have sent a request on behalf of the people of Delhi. Rest, let them decide.''

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