By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: While the New Delhi Railway Station got a new building worth Rs 25 crore yesterday the display of its name in Urdu language on the big board of the building clearly told Urdu lovers that the language is going from its bad to worse phase as far as its display in government premises is concerned.
The Urdu part of the board carrying name of the station in three languages was nothing short of a kid’s practice to write Urdu alphabet. Obviously it was the work of a non-Urdu knowing painter who perhaps wrote the name of the station both in Hindi and English on the board. The name of the station on the building on Paharganj side is though not correct completely (it should read nai dehli in Urdu) is correct at least in translation of Hindi name (nai dilli).
Old building of New Delhi Railway Station on Paharganj side
Ironically, the new building has been constructed on the Ajmeri Gate side of the station. Ajmeri Gate is the only entrance to the station for people coming from Old Delhi – the birthplace of Urdu language. Just one and half kms and there is a mine of Urdu writers, painters, artists and publishers in the Walled City area. Urdu press units are in dozens there. But the government which spent Rs 25 crore on the building did not bother to hire an Urdu knowing painter in few hundred rupees from the neighborhood.
However, within 24 hours of the inauguration of the building by Union Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee, the Railways sensed its mistake and the Urdu part of the board was removed. Perhaps it has been sent for correction.
New building of New Delhi Railway Station on Ajmeri Gate side
The new plush building, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore on a total floor area of 9,000 sqm, has dedicated enquiry counters, platform ticket counters, ATMs, food courts, cloak rooms, retiring rooms and AC dormitories.
Moreover, the building also has tactile tiles to help the visually challenged, low water booths, ramps and toilets with wider doors for passengers on wheelchairs.