KMC sanctions first building plan in Bengali

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Friday, for the first time in its history, sanctioned a building plan in Bengali and announced that it will begin inspections after Kali Puja to check whether commercial establishments have complied with the directive to display Bengali signboards.

At a Press conference on Friday, Mayor Firhad Hakim presented the sanctioned plan for a property at 16/1 Bosepukur Road in ward 67. He said from now on, applicants submitting plans in Bengali will receive approvals in Bengali. For non-Bengali applicants, even if plans are filed in English, references in the sanctioned copy will appear in Bengali. The civic body has set September 30, 2025, as the deadline for all business, commercial, institutional and other establishments to display Bengali prominently at the top of their signboards, hoardings and signage. Hakim clarified that although the deadline is on September 30, inspections will begin after Kali Puja, as businesses remain busy during the festive season. He warned that non-compliance would invite cancellation of trade licences.

The directive was first introduced in 2024, soon after the Centre accorded Bengali classical language status. That year, shop owners, restaurants and other commercial establishments were instructed to incorporate Bengali on their signage. A similar initiative was undertaken in 2007 under then mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

The fresh push comes amid controversy after BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed on social media that “there is, in fact, no language called Bengali.” His remark, made following reports that Delhi Police allegedly referred to Bengali as a “Bangladeshi language,” drew widespread outrage. The Trinamool Congress condemned it as “linguistic apartheid,” emphasising that Bengali is constitutionally recognised and the second-most spoken language in India.