City shops embrace signage in Gurmukhi

Nearly two years after the Punjab government mandated that shops and establishments across the state display signboards in Gurmukhi script, the change has become increasingly visible. Big brands and local businesses alike have embraced bilingual signage, with many replacing their English-only boards with those featuring Punjabi. Additionally, several banks, central government offices and large commercial establishments have started using Hindi as the third language.

Advertisement

On February 21, 2023, Punjab Chief Minister approved an amendment to the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Rules, making it mandatory for all businesses to display signboards in Punjabi. The amendment, which inserted new rules 23 and 24, allowed businesses to use other languages in addition to Punjabi. Establishments were given six months from the amendment’s approval to comply with the new regulations.

The new rules introduced fines for non-compliance, with penalties of up to Rs 1,000 for the first offence and Rs 2,000 for subsequent offences. However, voluntary compliance has been the primary approach so far. It is estimated that around 50 per cent of the commercial setups in Jalandhar city have voluntarily updated their signboards to include Punjabi. One of the most notable areas of change is the upscale Model Town market, where all big brands have replaced their previous signboards with bilingual ones.

The initiative was formally launched on April 1, 2023, with a public announcement at two prominent locations in Jalandhar—Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences and Super Cremica Sweets. At the launch, then-Languages Minister and current Sangrur MP, Gurmeet S. Meet Hayre, appealed to the public to show respect to their mother tongue by adopting Punjabi on their signboards.

To date, no fines have been imposed, and authorities have focused on encouraging voluntary adoption. Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal said, “We want this change to happen voluntarily. We have been motivating businessmen, traders and shopkeepers through various forums. Even as we celebrate Punjabi Ma Boli Divas today, the same appeal will be made from the stage of Punjabi Jagriti Manch, and I am sure that all those who have not made the change so far will also follow.”

Meanwhile, this week, Mayor Vaneet Dhir inaugurated a new welcome signage in Model Town, featuring the words “Sat Sri Akal Jalandhar” in Punjabi. The signage, along with the surrounding green belt, is being developed through the initiative of Rajesh Mayor, the owner of sports goods exporting company Mayor Sports Pvt Ltd.