Telibandha Chowk will retain its existing name and identity, while a separate “Seva Jyoti Sankalp Chowk” is proposed for a traffic island at the tri-junction near Ring Road and Telibandha police station, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai clarified on Thursday.
The clarification followed objections from members of the Sahu community and political criticism after an earlier announcement said Telibandha Chowk would be among 38 chowks to be developed across Chhattisgarh. The announcement was made as part of programmes marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 25 years as a head of government.
The wording of the initial announcement led sections of the Sahu community to interpret the proposal as a possible renaming of Telibandha Chowk. The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Sahu Sangh’s youth wing objected, saying the existing name was connected to the community’s history, identity and pride.
State youth wing president Shashikant Sahu said the community had no objection to developing a “Seva Jyoti” landmark but wanted Telibandha’s existing identity to be preserved. Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel also opposed any change to the name, citing its social and historical significance for the Teli-Sahu community.
Sai said there should be no confusion over the proposal and that the “Seva Jyoti Sankalp” development would proceed without altering the name or original character of Telibandha Chowk. The clarification separates the proposed landmark from the existing junction, addressing the central concern raised by community representatives.
The Raipur Municipal Corporation separately specified that the proposed chowk would be located at the traffic island at the tri-junction near Ring Road and Telibandha police station. Officials said no proposal had been made to rename either of the existing chowks located on the two sides of Telibandha Talab.
The clarification came after representatives of the Sahu community met Raipur mayor Meenal Choubey. The municipal corporation’s location-specific explanation establishes that the proposed development concerns a separate traffic island rather than either existing Telibandha Chowk. No further implementation timeline or design details for the new landmark were provided in the announcement.
