Delhi BJP urges NDMC to rename Akbar road after CDS Bipin Rawat for a 'permanent memory'

In a move to pay respect to India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, Delhi Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) media head Naveen Kumar has requested the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to rename Akbar Road after him. Kumar has written a letter on the matter to which NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay has replied saying they are 'very keen' on having a road named after the late CDS. General Bipin Rawat along with his wife and 11 other men in uniform recently lost their lives in a tragic IAF helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.

In a letter to the NDMC chairman, Kumar last week urged that Akbar Road in Lutyens Delhi be renamed as General Bipin Rawat Road:

"You are requested to attach a permanent memory to country's first CDS Bipin Rawat, by renaming Akbar road after General Bipin Rawat which be a true homage to him by the council," Kumar said in his letter written in Hindi.

NDMC's reply to the request:

"Naming of a road under NDMC follows a procedure. We will discuss how to go about it and which road to name after General Rawat," he said. The NDMC has received several requests in the past few days to name a road in memory of General Rawat, he added.

Significance of Delhi's Akbar road

The road stretches from India Gate circle connects to the Teen Murti roundabout. Many landmarks, including the Congress party's headquarters, is situated along the stretch. Earlier also there have been attempts to rename Akbar Road. In October, members of an outfit defaced a signboard by scribbling 'Samrat Hemu Vikramaditya Marg' on it.

Coonoor helicopter crash

In the IAF Helicopter crash that took place in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday, December 8, General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat were killed. Also, killed were Bipin Rawat's Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Colonel Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, JWO Das, Junior Warrant Officer Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik Sai Teja. Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor, is being treated for severe burns and is on life support.

(With PTI inputs)

Image: PTI