The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is mulling to rename Regal Chowk to Amira Kadal road as “Syed Shujaat Bukhari road” and Hazratbal - Saderabal Lalbazar road stretch as “Mushir-ul-Haq road”

SMC Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu told Rising Kashmir that they would propose two resolutions on name change in upcoming SMC general council meeting to be held next week.

“We are going to pass resolution to rename Regal Chowk - Amira Kadal road as ‘Syed Shujaat Bukhari road’ and Hazratbal Chowk - Saderabal Lalbazar road as ‘Mushir-ul-Haq road’,” he said.
Mattu said general council meeting would be held on March 9.

“We will be proposing resolutions for voting as per the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, and under that act SMC have exclusive jurisdiction for renaming or naming roads in the city,” he said.

“We will be renaming the two historic roads to commemorate contribution of two personalities – Syed Shujaat Bukhari and Mushir-ul-Haq,” he said adding, “It is basically a tribute to our social and cultural heroes.” Bukhari was a prominent journalist and founding editor of Rising Kashmir, who was assassinated by unknown gunmen along with his two police guards in Press Enclave, of Srinagar on 14 June 2018,

Dr. Mushir-ul-Haq was former Kashmir University Vice Chancellor, who was abducted and killed by unknown gunmen in 1990. His body was found five days after his abduction.

According to Mattu, many streets and landmarks would be renamed after natives of Kashmir in future also.

The Mayor said maximum roads in Srinagar are un-named and they would be renaming all such roads have historical importance in city.

He, however, said the existing names in city would not be changed as it can lead to unwanted controversies. “We have no such proposal in our pipeline. No such proposal will be entertained,” Mattu said.

The development came after Jammu Municipal Corporation renamed two historic Chowks in Jammu city.
The commercial hub Chowk in Jammu was renamed as 'Bharat Mata Chowk' while another intersection was named 'Atal Chowk' in memory of former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Courtesy : Rising Kashmir