Centre clears change in names of Karnataka cities; Belgaum now Belagavi

Eight years after it received a proposal from Karnataka government, the Centre today cleared renaming 12 cities and towns of the state including Belgaum as Belagavi and Bangalore as Bengaluru.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave his approval to the proposal of the Karnataka government made on October 27, 2006 to change the names of the 12 towns and cities in consonance with their pronunciation in Kannada language.

Karnataka and Maharashtra, where the Assembly elections had just concluded, are locked in a boundary row over Belgaum.

The Karnataka government had taken the decision to rechristen these cities on the occasion of the golden jubilee of formation of the state of Karnataka on November one, 2006.

The Home Minister's nod came after Survey of India, Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, Ministry of Science and Technology and Intelligence Bureau have given their No Objection and clearance for the change in the nomenclature of the identified cities.

Besides Bangalore and Belgaum, the other cities and towns which will be known by new names(which are in brackets) are Mangalore(Mangaluru), Bellary(Ballari), Bijapur(Vijapura), Chikmagalur(Chikkamagaluru), Gulbarga(Kalaburagi), Mysore(Mysure), Hospet(Hosapete), Shimoga(Shivamogga), Hubli (Hubballi) and Tumkur(Tumakuru).

Instructions have also been issued for rechristening the post offices and Railway stations, a Union Home Ministry oficial said.