The Tamil Government has issued detailed instructions for identifying and renaming roads, streets, residential areas, bus stands, markets, watercourses and village panchayat, which bear caste or discriminatory names.
The government has issued instructions in accordance with the announcement of the main Minister MK Stalin in the assembly of April 29 that the term “colony” will be removed from official records and public use, as the oppression has been symbolized and connotated.
According to the instructions, the local authorities should make a detailed assessment to determine whether there are some existing road names, streets, residential areas, bus stalls, markets or watercourses to a particular community. The exercise should be performed under the supervision of officers of the development of blocks for the villages of Panchayats, Executive Directors for Municipal Panchayats and Commissioners for Municipalities and Corporations.
After preparing the list of such names, the officials concerned should assess the prevailing local situation and take into account the opinions of the population. If there is no objection to the continuation of the existing name, the same name should be left. However, if the name is found derogatory or offensive and the inhabitants demand a change, it should be renamed.
It must be renamed for certain names, including the Adidravidar colony, Harijan Colony, Vankula, Parayar Street and Chakkiliar Salai. In such cases, neutral and socially inclusive alternatives based on the population should be renamed castes.
The government also proposed to use the names of flowers for ponds and the names of poets, scientists and leaders for streets and roads. The government also ordered officials to assess maximum caution when performing exercises.
To make names of names, the approval of Gram Sabha and Area Sabha are required for Village Panchayats and city local authorities. If the existing name is to be maintained, valid reasons should be recorded. For rural local bodies, the list of prepared block development officials should be verified by an officer of the rank of assistant director (rural development) at the district level and for the city local authorities the lists prepared by executive officials or commissioners should be verified by officers at the zone level.
After verification, the collector should issue a notice in the district Bulletin, which allows the 21 -day period from the date of publication for the public to submit objections or proposals in writing. Objections or proposals should be carefully examined before the preparation of consolidated proposals, independently for local and city local authorities to be handed over to the state government.
The state government will adopt the final decision to rename in accordance with the provisions of the Tamil Act Nadu Panchayats of 1994 and the Local Tamil Nadu Act of 1998 and issues final orders. She also issued similar instructions as the Income and Disaster Management Department to remove the names based on income villages.
Published – October 9, 2025 12:00
