Nagpur: The Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) has denied permission to park vehicles in the historical Kasturchand Park (KP) during the upcoming monsoon session of state legislature. The decision has saved the Grade-I heritage open space from further destruction, but placed the district administration and police department in a dilemma for arranging space to park vehicles during the monthlong session.
A large number of vehicles of police department, government departments, VIPs, visitors and agitators come for the session. As the sprawling KP is situated adjacent to Vidhan Bhavan in Civil Lines, the vehicles used to be parked in the playground during the session.
Along the same lines, the police department had requested the district administration to give permission for parking of vehicles in KP for monsoon session. Accordingly, the district administration on Thursday submitted a proposal to the HCC as KP is Grade-I heritage open space.
The committee held a special meeting on Friday to discuss only the district administration’s proposal. The committee headed by former Neeri director Tapan Chakrabarti rejected the district administration’s proposal.
One of the members of the committee told TOI that KP would have been destroyed to a great extent had permission for parking of vehicles been granted. “KP has been again witnessing sports activities and senior citizens have started taking walks here since the ban on commercial activities. Also, development works have been started at KP. All these would have been affected if vehicles were parked in it,” he said.
The member added destruction of KP would have been severe due to the rains. “Surface layer gets destroyed when vehicles run or park during rains. Earlier sessions used to be in winter while this one is in monsoon,” he said.
Collector Ashwin Mudgal did not respond to TOI’s call. Commissioner of police K Venkatesham said a meeting will be held to decide further course of action.