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The Tribune DEBATE   asli vs naqli chandigarh — part Vi
Take ‘New Chandigarh’, vacate ‘asli’ city,
Hooda tells Punjab
Naveen S Garewal/TNS

What Hooda says On the name It is unethical to change the chemistry of Chandigarh. Just as you cannot call Gurgaon Modern Delhi, you cannot call Mullanpur New Chandigarh It's injustice This is injustice to the people of Mullanpur whose land has been taken away to rename their village into a city. Why not develop Mullanpur Village as Mullanpur city, just as Haryana developed Panchkula Village into Panchkula city We have a say When anything concerns Chandigarh, Haryana has a say. Haryana objected when Chandigarh Airport's name was being changed. Panchkula model Land in Chandigarh is limited, so there will be development in nearby areas. But the character of the city should be retained as it was done for Panchkula. Tough talking It is unethical. As long as Chandigarh is the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana, it would not be right to attempt to change the chemistry of the city that does not belong entirely to Punjab Unchangeable Like there is a Lutyens Delhi, Corbusier's Chandigarh is a heritage city, its character cannot be changed without violating its chemistry

Chandigarh, July 19
Haryana has no objection to Punjab going ahead with developing Mullanpur as New Chandigarh if Punjab gives up its claim on Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, says Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In an interview to The Tribune, he said: “If Punjab has a plan in mind to vacate Chandigarh and shift to New Chandigarh, I would welcome it, provided it no longer claims any right on the city.”

Since the re-organization of states in 1966, Punjab and Haryana have three major disputes: water, territory and Chandigarh. If the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, which called for transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, had been implemented, one issue would have ended. But despite a Supreme Court verdict, Punjab refuses to release Haryana’s share of water. “Till the issues remain unresolved, we will defend whatever is ours,” Hooda said.

The CM was scathing in his criticism of Punjab developing areas inside its territory to project them as a part of the city. “It is unethical. As long as Chandigarh is the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana, it would not be right to attempt to change the chemistry of the city that does not belong entirely to Punjab,” he said.

The Haryana Chief Minister said naming the new area for development after Chandigarh amounted to impersonation. He said in 1923 his grandfather Matu Ram had filed a petition in court and won a case because someone had tried to assume the identity of another person. Chandigarh, he said, was a brand name that could not be duplicated or replicated. It has an identity of its own and any attempt to sell its name was like violating a copyright or selling replicas.

“How credible would it sound if Gurgaon were to be named as Modern Delhi? Just as there is Lutyens’ Delhi, you have Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh. Any attempt to sell Mullanpur as New Chandigarh amounts to violating the heritage status of the city,” he said.

The CM believes some things can never be changed. The Chandigarh Railway Station, for example, he said, falls both in Panchkula and Chandigarh. How would it sound if Haryana wanted half of Chandigarh railway station re-christened as Panchkula. “Everyone understands that certain people want to benefit from this (rechristening Mullanpur) move. Where is the need to name anyone? Everyone knows who they are,” he said.

He agreed the process of development cannot be stopped. If the Mullanpur area has to be developed, it should be developed as Mullanpur.

“Why do injustice to the people of that village? Haryana put its foot down when Punjab wanted to change the name of the Chandigarh Airport. We could do that because Haryana had a stake in the airport, but about New Chandigarh, I cannot do much, except express my opinion as the developments are taking place on Punjab’s territory,” Hooda said.

If the need of the hour is development, it should not stop, but let there be no modification to the character of Chandigarh, he said adding: “Since land in Chandigarh is limited, it is essential that areas in the periphery be developed. But Punjab should follow the Panchkula model, where the city merges into the architecture of Chandigarh without sticking like a sore thumb. Haryana has developed the Mansa Devi Complex around the lake, but that too has not altered the chemistry of the city.”

New Chandigarh would be diluting the character of the city that has come to be known as one of the world’s most modern cities, the CM said. Haryana developed Panchukla village as Panchkula city, ethics demands that Mullanpur be developed as Mullanpur city.

A Metro link is proposed between Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, but it is being done in a way that the architectural concept is not eroded. “Tomorrow when Haryana develops Pinjore or Kalka that are in the vicinity of Chandigarh, these will keep their own identity and not as Chandigarh’s clones. It is my personal view that no one should take any advantage of the name of Chandigarh,” Hooda said.