Uttar Pradesh: Angry residents rename Agra areas ‘smelly town’

Some angry residents in India’s Agra city have temporarily renamed housing complexes as “gutter colony” or “smelly town” to protest against civic issues.

Residents of Shahganj and Jagdishpura localities blame an unfinished road for causing waterlogging and traffic jams.

The northern city is home to the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous monument, and is a big draw for tourists.

But residents in the two areas complain that they have to live with filth and grime in their neighborhoods.

They accuse the authorities of not fixing their problems despite repeated complaints.

A spokesperson for Baby Rani Maurya, a lawmaker under whose constituency parts of the road come under, said that steps were being taken to start work on the road.

But in the past few days, with angry residents deciding to take matters into their own hands, green and white signboards – similar to the official ones put up by the city authorities – have been installed on buildings and at road intersections with their new names.

So, Navneet Nagar is now “badboo nagar” (stinking town), Mansarovar colony is “nalasarovar colony” (gutter colony) and Panchsheel colony is “durgandhsheel colony” (smelly colony).

These names have no official recognition, but they have become a talking point in the city of 4.4 million people.

After the protest was reported by the local press, residents say that officials visited the area on Monday and took down some of the signboards.

Agencies