The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) of Rangpuri village seeking a change in the name of the under-construction Mahipalpur Metro Station. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled that the naming of a metro station is strictly an administrative decision and does not fall under the direct control of the judiciary. The court clarified that it cannot interfere in such policy matters unless there is a clear violation of the Constitution or arbitrary action by the authorities.
Why did Rangpuri residents want the name change?
The petition was filed by the residents of Rangpuri, an urban village located near the IGI Airport. Their main argument was based on land acquisition data. The RWA claimed that the majority of the land used for constructing the station actually belongs to Rangpuri village. They cited a government policy which suggests that public infrastructure should ideally be named after the locality that provided the land. Since the station is situated between Mahipalpur and Rangpuri, the residents felt that retaining the name ‘Mahipalpur’ was unfair to their contribution and demanded it be renamed to ‘Rangpuri Station’.
What are the directions for DMRC now?
Although the High Court rejected the plea to forcefully change the name through a court order, it has not closed the door on the residents’ request. The court has directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and other relevant government authorities to treat the petition as a formal representation. The officials have been given a timeline of six weeks to consider the request and make a final administrative decision. The court noted that if inputs from other departments are needed, they must be gathered within this timeframe.
Key details about the project:
- Metro Line: Golden Line (Aerocity to Tughlakabad), part of Phase-IV.
- Project Deadline: The line is targeted for completion by March 2026.
- Location: The station serves the busy area near the airport involving Mahipalpur and Rangpuri.
- Construction: Involves complex engineering like twin tunnels and underground ramps.
