New Delhi, February 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on the nation to shed its colonial mindset. Efforts are underway to change outdated laws and regulations from the British era. In line with this initiative, the Indian Army has accelerated the renaming of colonial-era names across military establishments. A total of 246 roads and buildings have been renamed nationwide.
According to defense officials, the changes include 124 roads, 77 residential colonies, 27 buildings and military facilities, and 18 other amenities such as parks, training areas, playgrounds, gates, and helipads. Notably, these new names honor the contributions of gallantry award winners, war heroes, and prominent military leaders.
For instance, Kirby Place in Delhi Cantonment will now be known as Kenuguruse Vihar, while Mall Road will be renamed Arun Khetarpal Marg. Similarly, Patterson Road Quarters in Ambala Cantonment has been designated as Dhyan Singh Thapa Enclave. In Mathura Cantonment, New Horn Line is now called Veer Abdul Hamid Lines, and Queens Line Road in Jaipur Cantonment has been renamed Sundar Singh Marg.
In Bareilly Cantonment, New Birdwood Line has been changed to Thimayya Colony, and Malcolm Lines in Mhow Cantonment is now Piru Singh Lines. Defense officials also reported that Collins Block at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun has been renamed Nubra Block, while Kingsway Block is now Kargil Block. The sports complex at Rangapahar Military Station has been renamed Lashram Jyotin Singh Sports Complex, and Spear Lake Marg at Jakhama Military Station is now Hangpan Dada Marg.
The suggestion to rename these places was made by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in 2021 during the 96th anniversary celebration of the Defense Estates Directorate. He noted that many roads and buildings in military cantons are named after loyal British officials and soldiers. Singh urged that the Ministry of Defense and the Directorate General of Defence Estates consider renaming these places after our brave soldiers and the architects of Modern India, and to expedite the process.
The Defense Minister also emphasized that if a British official had done good work for the local community, their names should be preserved respectfully for future generations.
In 2024, the Indian Army renamed the headquarters of the Eastern Command in Kolkata from Fort William to Vijay Durg, honoring Chhatrapati Shivaji. The King George Gate, previously known as George Gate, is now called Shivaji Dwar. The Kitchener House, named after Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, is now known as Field Marshal Manekshaw Building.
Additionally, the four-story building formerly known as Dalhousie Barrack, where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was held in 1940, is now called Netaji Barrack. The Russell Block in the fort has been renamed after the Bengali freedom fighter Bagha Jatin.