Literally, a smart move on new cities?

The clarification that the flowery literary names apparently chosen for several district conurbations in West Bengal will actually be monikers for ‘smart cities’ coming up in their environs should provide a breather for those contemplating large-scale changes in their address templates. But with 100 smart cities already in the Prime Minister’s sights, the West Bengal chief minister’s initiative raises the prospect of other CMs taking a cue from her on new names. As not all existing metropolises (including planned ones) have the most elegant of names — Noida and Gujarat’s flagship GIFT city being apt examples — all the more thought should be given to striking a balance between poetry and practicality. After all, people will be living and working there, and writing those cities’ names on forms and business cards.

Even though all states have literary works and stalwarts worthy of immortalisation in concrete, glass and state-ofthe-art technology, CMs should think hard before going the Bengal way. If they do follow suit, however, it will certainly mark a change from privately developed condominium complexes with names transplanted from Florida and California. Perhaps shifting to an indubitably indigenous smart ‘city’ called Madhushala or Ettuthokai will befittingly remind its new residents of the ‘Make in India’ mantra.