Bowing to pressure from freedom fighters and other organisations, the Corporation Of the City of Panaji changed the names of roads in the capital city of Goa, Panjim, despite a stir by some councillors during the meeting. JONQUIL SUDHIR reports.

ON THE insistence of the freedom fighters and the Panjim Nagrik Samiti (affiliated to the RSS), the Corporation of the City of Panaji, in a meeting held on the 28 th of October, changed the names of 21 roads in the capital city. The road names that are to be replaced are Rua Cruzador Sao Rafael, Rua Diago de Couto, Rua Cruzador Adamastor, Rua Governor Texeira de Silva, Rua da Armada Portuguesa, Povo de Lisboa and Rua de Ourem among others. These have been replaced by names of Goan and Indian freedom fighters as well as prominent Goan personalities.

It will be recalled that the Panjim Nagrik Kruti Samiti, in a memorandum to the CCP in June, asked that the names of ten roads be changed as they felt some names were not relevant to Goa while other roads were named after people who, in their perception, were pro Portuguese. A few days later, on the 18 th of June, miscreants belonging to the Samiti vandalised the street signs and tiles in Fontainhas. The street sign bearing the name ‘31 st January Road' was replaced with ‘19 December Marg' and ‘Rua Armada Portuguesa' was substituted with ‘Vithal Rakhumai Marg.'

Freedom fighter Naguesh Karmali, who was present during the reported vandalisation, said that the vandals were justified as they were agitated over the CCP's inaction. At that time, Karmali had also said that roads named after Portuguese conquerors and other “irrelevant, unnecessary, meaningless names should be removed.”

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Creek? Rua de Ourem will now be called Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Road.

Under pressure from the Panjim Nagrik Samiti, the CCP were forced to consider the name changes. Ever since it was known that some of the roads were to be renamed, the CCP and its councillors were flooded with letters from the public. In the special meeting convened last week, the roads to be renamed and retained were decided.

The most controversial among them being Rua 31 st Janeiro, Rua de Ourem and Rua Armada Portuguesa. It was decided that Rua 31 st Janeiro would be changed to Cunha Gonsalves Road, as was approved by the PMC forty years ago, and not 19 December Marg. The move to change Rua de Ourem to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road caused a divide in the Council with half of the members choosing not to vote. Though Councillors Patricia Pinto and Rudresh Chodankar appealed on the behalf of the people of Fontainhas to retain the name, it was finally changed. Milind Bharne, who proposed a number of changes during the course of the meeting, was keen on changing Rua Armada Portuguesa to Vithal Rakhumai Road, the name given to the road by the vandals in June. The Mayor Ashok Naik and Patricia Pinto, however, refused as the matter is still under investigation. The rest of the names were approved unanimously.    

Rua Conde de Sarzedes has been replaced by Peter Alvares Road. Peter Alvares participated in the Indian freedom movement and consequently in the fight to liberate Goa. After liberation, he was elected Member of Parliament from North Goa in its first elections held in 1963.

Another freedom fighter whose name will be embellished on a street sign is Mark Fernandes. Fernandes first showed signs of rebellion when he was working in Kuwait. He was expelled from the Gulf country for organising the Goan Workers'Uunion. He later moved to Bombay from where he led a group of 12 satayagrahis to Torxem in Pernem, where he was arrested.

Pandit Dharmanand Kossambi Road has been renamed Dr. Govind Dhume Road. Dr. Govind Dhume was a renowned clinician. The supporters of the scholar and historian Pandit Kossambi, however, need not complain as the road from the Department of Education to DB Marg which was previously called Subhash Chandra Bose Road will now be called Pandit Dharmanand Kossambi Road.

Duarte Pacheco, who was a Portuguese scholar, will have his name stripped off the signboard from Barberia Real to Aroma Hotel. The road will now be called Dr. Govind Vaidya Road, after another popular physician.

Diago de Couto Road will be replaced by Prof Messais Gomes Road. Professor Messias Gomes founded the daily O Heraldo in 1900, which was not only the first in Goa, but also the first in all the Portuguese colonies. Incidentally, Diago de Couto was the man who was officially commissioned the Keeper of the Goa Archives in 1595. 

The route from DB Road to Caculo Island which was earlier ‘nameless' is now Dr. Joao Manuel Pacheco Figueiredo Road. Dr. Figueiredo was the last director of the Goa Medical School and the first dean of the Goa Medical College after liberation. He has to his credit nearly 98 published works.

Rua Cruzador Sao Rafeal has been changed to Padre Caetano Francis Couto Road. Filipe Neri Xavier Road has been changed to Prof Manguesh Surlakar Road while Rua Governor Texeira de Silva has been changed to Filipe Neri Xavier Road. Filipe Neri Xavier, originally from Loutolim, was one of the greatest historians with nearly 70 books to his name.

And it seems like honour has been finally restored to Dr. Francisco Martins as Rua Cruzador Adamastor has been changed to Dr. Jose Francisco Martins Road. Dr. Martins, a freedom fighter, was unceremoniously arrested by the Goa Police last year when his neighbours filed a complaint against him because of a property dispute. The otherwise lethargic Goa Police had arrested Dr. Martins without giving him a chance to put his clothes on. Dr. Martins died ealrier this year.

The road named 20 De Junho Avenue has been change to PP Shirodkar Road after the man who was the first speaker of the Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly. Rua Conde de Dedon is now Padre Jose Antonio Gonsalves Road while the road parallel to Dr. Antonio Noronha Road has been named Dr. Emidio Afonso Road, in memory of the famous surgeon. The road from the police station to T B Cunha Road will be now called Hirave Guruji Road.

Advocate Vishwanath Lawande, who participated in the Quit India Movement and founded the Azad Gomantak Dal, has the road from St. Inez to Electricity quarters named after him. Deepaji Rane, known for his aggressive tactics and use of guerrilla warfare was also recognised by the CCP. The stretch from Ram Manohar Lohia to D B Marg will now be called Deepaji Rane Road.

The road from Kashinath Sardessai House to Kaisare House will be now called Bidye Guruji Road. Bidye Guruji joined Mushtifund Primary School in 1928 and served the school for more than 50 years. Bablo Morto Naik, who contributed to the state through his profession (construction) and social work, will also be honoured. The road from Miramar Circle to PWD, Tonca will now be known as Bablo Naik Road.

Elbino Britto Raod, Dr. Froilano de Melo Road and Dr. Roque D'Souza Road will be retained as several citizens expressed their desire to honour them.   

Other names that were discussed were Angelo Fonseca, Jenardhan Upendra Naique, Sharad Vaidya, Pandurang Purushottam Shirodkar, Dr. Pundalik Dattatraya Gaitonde, Dr. Telo Mascarenhas and Gopal Kamat. The marathon meeting ended with the councillors deciding that no road names will be changed until the end of their term.

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