Parking spaces earmarked on city outskirts, heavy vehicles’ entry banned till 7 p.m.
As Hubballi is getting ready to host a mega convention of Lingayats for seeking independent religion status on Sunday, the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner has imposed restrictions on movement of vehicles in the city as a precautionary measure to prevent traffic chaos.
Expecting a huge crowd at the centrally located Nehru Stadium, the organisers of the event have asked the participants to park their vehicles on the outskirts of the city. They have made arrangements for parking at Raikar Ground, Vidyanagar for vehicles from Dharwad side; near Srinivas Garden, Keshwar for vehicles from Vijayapura, Bagalkot side; near Gabbur Cross for vehicles from Haveri; and near railway track on Gadag Road for vehicles from Gadag side.
Banned
Police Commissioner M.N. Nagaraj has banned entry of heavy vehicles into the city from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday in addition to restrictions on movement of vehicles on various roads.
Since the old KSRTC bus station would remain closed during the course of the convention, moffusil and long route buses will be regulated at various points on the outskirts of the city. Long-route buses from Gadag side will be diverted to New Bus Stand via Halyal, Settlement, Bidnal, Gabbur Cross, bypass road, Karwar Road toll plaza, and Tarihal toll plaza, and rural buses from Gadag side will be regulated near the Hubballi DRM office.
Long-route buses from Navalgund Road will be diverted to New Bus Stand via Kusugal, Mantur, Bidnal Gabbur Cross, and bypass road, while rural buses will be regulated near Oxford College.
Buses from Haveri, Laxmeshwar and Karwar side will be diverted towards New Bus Stand via bypass road.
Hubballi-Dharwad city buses will be regulated near IT Park as the old bus station will remain closed. Buses from New Bus Stand going to towards Gadag, Bagalkot and Vijayapur will be diverted via Siddheshwar Park, Unkal, Sainagar, JK School, Gopanakoppa and Keshwapur, a release from the Police Commissioner said.
Organisers said they have made arrangements for providing food to the participants on the outskirts of the city. The participants will be provided lunch before they proceed to the venue.
Around 150 seers from various mutts across the State are expected to participate in the convention for which a huge stage with a capacity to accommodate 200 persons has been erected at Nehru Stadium.
Help from other faiths
Members of Muslim, Jain, Sikh faiths and Bunts community are also involved in organising the convention by taking up various responsibilities. While members of Bunts community have taken up the responsibility of providing food to the participants near Airport Road, Babajan Muhdol of Muslims Rights Foundation said they will distribute cool drinks to the participants.