Basavanagudi, 14 other wards get new names

Basavanagudi ward in South Bengaluru, well-known for its cultural heritage, will soon be known as Dodda Ganapathi. Girinagar ward will morph into Swami Vivekananda and Gavi Gangadhareshwara will be the brand new name of Hanumantha Nagar ward. The tinkering, courtesy delimitation, has led to dismay among heritage conservationists and a section of residents.

According to the final delimitation report of the 225 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) released on Monday, the names of 15 wards have been changed, with Basavanagudi being one of the prominent ones. 

While the names of a few wards have been interchanged, a few older names have been dropped. The names of 15 wards have been changed compared to the draft notification released by the government on August 18.  

Ravi Subramanya, MLA, Basavanagudi Assembly constituency, didn't seem impressed and termed it "unnecessary". 

"While a few names represent well-known spots in the ward, the change was unnecessary," he said, adding Basavanagudi is a well-known name among residents and even tourists. "While we respect the history and heritage of the Dodda Ganapathi and Gavi Gangadhareshwara temples, we also need to understand that the old names were coined with a purpose and are popular among the public."

P L Udaya Kumar, a heritage conservationist, too, called for caution.

Pointing out that the Someshwara Nagar ward had been renamed as B Venkata Reddy, Kumar said there is a need to refrain from naming wards after individuals. “Naming the ward after individuals will give it a political slant and make it subjective. Ideally, the name of the oldest locality in the ward should be used as a ward name,” he said. 

The delimitation committee should have studied the intent behind the name of a ward before renaming them, said Katte Satyanarayana, a five-time corporator, citing the example of Girinagar.

However, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said the decision to rename was made after a detailed study. “We considered many factors, such as the area that occupies the majority of the ward and the historical and cultural places in the ward. Before finalising the name, we also asked our joint commissioners to collect public opinion. The changed names are a result of extensive consultation,” he said.