Distorted Name Board At Odisha’s Paralakhemundi Railway Station Rectified After Protest

Berhampur: After distorted Odia used in the name board at Paralakhemundi railway station in Odisha’s Gajapati district triggered much hue and cry, the authorities swung into action and took corrective steps.

It was made possible by members of Paralakhemundi Rail Users’ Group and personal efforts of many prominent persons who opposed the distorted Odia name-board. They visited the station and took up the matter with the local railway officials, contacted the higher authorities soon after the Odia name-board was written by a painter from Andhra Pradesh. The name-board work was immediately stopped after they informed the officials of Waltair.

Though they insisted on utilising local painters to do the job, the authorities completed the job with almost the same distorted Odia font on Saturday. Locals again protested and brought a local painter who painted the Odia font in proper manner after the local officials and the contractor agreed.

Though the station’s name in English and Hindi could be written in proper format Odia was written in a distorted format, which sparked anger among local residents and intellectuals. Following protest from different quarters, necessary changes were made.

The station names & their spelling on all types of name boards must be finalised in consultation with the appropriate Railway Users Consultative Committee or the State Government. These are made so because such are instructions made by the Railway Board in the Indian Railways Works Manual (Clause 424 of Chapter 4), said a member of the Paralakhemundi Rail Users’ Group.

Letters in Black on Traffic Yellow background for the name boards needed for proper contrasting to ensure a clear visibility from a running train and it’s a practice throughout the country. But distortion to any tri-letter especially Odia can’t be allowed, said a member.

Meanwhile Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, the Odisha Rail Heritage Researcher suggested that when the Railway authority intends to make mural paintings covering heritage of Paralakhemundi on the renovated walls of the Heritage Station building, the local artists must be entrusted to do the job.

The local artists who are also experts in mural paintings can showcase it properly and give positive results, he said.