Residents of 5th Trust Cross Street, Mandavelipakkam, have registered an objection to the proposed renaming of the street as ‘S. V. Venkataraman Street’.
Letters were sent to the city Mayor, the Chennai South M.P. and others listing reasons for the protest. They have not gained a reply this far.
But residents have learnt that this move is kept under wraps because it has been challenged in the public space.
People are asking if the man whose name is to be commemorated with a street sign deserves this honour.
Mylapore MLA remained mum when asked if GCC was preparing to change the street’s name.
Officials at GCC headquarters are hinting that the name change, if it happens, may be done on the quiet.
S V Venkataraman, now well-known as actor-politician S. V. Shekhar’s father was a Lions Club member who campaigned for blood and eye donation and contributed to stage and cinema, the latter pursuits less documented in public.
“Whatever be the real credentials, we firmly believe that the long-standing numbering system from 1st Trust Cross to 14th Trust Cross in our area must be preserved, as it represents continuity, identity, and convenience for all residents”, said a resident who has initiated the protest online.
Residents stated in their letter to the Mayor that ‘altering this system will only create confusion and set a precedent for arbitrary name changes in other streets without consulting the very residents who live there.’
It is on record that at an event hosted by S. V. Shekhar some months ago, he made a request to chief minister M. K. Stalin who was a guest, to name a Mandavelipakkam street (after his father and Stalin had said he would consider the suggestion. Shekhar is a longtime resident of the area.
The GCC council has to okay name change via a resolution but officials handling such issues say they are not aware of progress on the issue.
there is no need to change the name, when the residents are against the same vehemently. As a long time resident of Mandaveli, trust cross streets are memories. Government cannot whimsically change names to please a person, group or a community. This is not to undermine Sri S V Venkatraman, a doyen in Ad industry.
If the government feels genuine in recognising his service, let his plaque be opened in kalaivanar arangam or any other government building.
5TC residents are long time residents and most are senior citizen’s, change in name will put lot of difficulties to them. Hope the government listens to the voice of the silenced and act accordingly or else earn the wrath of not just that street, but, from others in the same area.
In this episode a bad loser is S V Sekar who has earned the wrath of the locals.