Landour Cantonment board plans to change name to Ramgir, sparks row

MUSSOORIE: Landour Cantonment authorities have proposed changing the name of the cantonment to "Ramgir", triggering opposition from residents and historians who said Landour was not a colonial coinage and had a long local association with Mussoorie's identity. The cantonment board published a newspaper notification seeking objections from residents within seven days, saying the proposal followed a Jan 26, 2026, letter from Director General Defence Estates (DGDE) under the defence ministry on "renaming of colonial era roads etc".

The proposed change concerns Landour Cantonment, the main tourist and heritage zone that comes after the older Landour settlement and includes some of Mussoorie's best-known spots. The cantonment area has also long been associated with writers and artists, including author Ruskin Bond, who lives in the cantt area, making the proposed renaming more than a routine administrative change for many.

The notification said the name change had been approved by the board, but drew sharp criticism from residents. "Landour is named after Landaura, a town near Roorkee, from where settlers came here. It is not a name coined by the British," historian Ganesh Saili said.

Mahesh Chandra, former vice-president of Landour Cantonment, called the proposal regressive. "I question the thought process behind this move, especially since Landour is famous not just in the country but around the globe," he said.
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