Delhi to Promote Linguistic Diversity with Multilingual Road Signages and Bureaucratic Nameplates

Delhi’s road signages, and directional boards, including those at metro stations, will soon display information in Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu a move aimed at promoting linguistic diversity and representing the city’s official languages.

Bureaucrats working with the Delhi government will also be required to display their names in the four languages on boards outside their offices.

The move aligns with “The Delhi Official Languages Act, 2000”, which recognises Hindi as the first official language and Urdu and Punjabi as second official languages. Currently most signboards and nameplates in Delhi display information only in Hindi and English.

In a written communication dated November 4, the Department of Arts, Culture and Language directed all departments, civic bodies and autonomous authorities to ensure compliance with the Act, following instructions from Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena The communication specifies that the sequence of languages on boards and signages should be Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu, with uniform font sizes for all.

A senior government official told PTI that the direction would apply across metro stations, hospitals, public parks and other public spaces. The Public Works Department (PWD), which manages 1,250 km of roads in the city will begin updating signages accordingly.

“All government departments/offices/autonomous bodies/local bodies are directed to ensure the implementation of “The Delhi Official Languages Act 2000″ and the aforementioned order/sequence of the State Languages including English in the same size of font to write, print, paint, inscribe or emboss the information on boards, Sign-boards, Name-plates and Directional signs in language/s other than Hindi, recognised for use for official purposes in NCT of Delhi,” the department’s official statement said.

The LG’s directive also aligns with a 2011 order from the Union Home Ministry’s Department of Official Language, which mandated states in Region A, including Delhi, Bihar and Haryana, to prioritise Hindi on public signages while deciding the order of other languages locally.

Hindi holds the top spot due to its official status and widespread usage followed by English, the associate official language of India given its prominence in administrative and communicative functions.

Punjabi is included to honour the city’s significant Punjabi-speaking population, while Urdu because of its cultural and historical relevance.

According to the 2023 Delhi Statistical Handbook, Punjabi is spoken by around 8.73 lakh people, while Urdu is spoken by nearly 8.67 lakh people.

Shehpar Rasool, Chairperson of Delhi Urdu Academy welcomed the move, saying that he is happy to hear the news of the official implementation of ‘The Delhi Official Language Act 2000’.

“These languages are a representation of our rich multicultural history, which is aptly communicated in an Urdu phrase “Ganga-Jamni Tehzeeb”. I welcome all the decisions and policies that encourage linguistic and cultural diversity,” Rashool told PTI.

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