Nagpur: Despite permission being denied by the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, and also the Heritage Conservation Committee, vehicles arriving at the state legislature’s monsoon session are being parked in grade-I heritage open space Kasturchand Park (KP). The scores of vehicles coupled with the heavy rains have destroyed the surface layer of the ground to a huge extent.
Vehicles of MLAs, MLCs, officials, VIPs and visitors are being parked at KP since the beginning of the monsoon session on July 4. TOI found around 100 vehicles parked at KP on Monday. Shockingly, a large number of police department vehicles too were parked in KP.
KP’s surface layer can be seen destroyed to a great extent. Marks of vehicle tyres are all over the sprawling ground, which has been churned into a muddy field due to the movement of the large number of vehicles.
The three main gates of KP were locked on Monday. However, the two other entrances to KP — one towards RBI Square and other towards 118 Battalion, were open and vehicles were using these two entrances to go in and out.
Despite assurance of closing all entrances, the district administration has failed to construct compound wall or restrict entry from these two entrances.
Amicus curiae in KP’s PIL Shrirang Bhandarkar told TOI it was contempt of HC if parking is continuing on the ground. “HC is taking efforts to conserve and beautify KP. At the same time, authorities are continuously failing to conserve the ground,” he said.
After TOI sent messages to collector Ashwin Mudgal and CP K Venkatesham for their versions, a team of traffic police rushed to KP and cleared the vehicles by evening. Only four police vans were parked there by late evening. However, the traffic police did not levy any fine on the vehicles.
Mudgal and Venkatesham said no permission or arrangements for parking were made in KP for the monsoon session. “Parking arrangements for ministers, legislators, officials, VIPs, visitors and agitators have been made in other places in proper manner. We also communicated the parking arrangements to principal secretary of state legislature. Still, if some vehicles are parked in KP, it is not correct,” they said.
Venkatesham said he requested the collector to close the gates of KP. Mudgal said he asked DCP (traffic) Chaitanya S to take action if any vehicles was found parked in KP.
Chaitanya said parking arrangements for monsoon session were made at eight locations. “Parking for legislators, VIPs and officials were made in the open space at Bishop Cotton School and All Saints’ Cathedral. Starbus garage behind Zero Mile was identified for parking of police vehicles. Similarly, proper arrangements have been made for ministers, top officials etc,” he said.
Chaitanya added barricades will be erected at the two entrances that lack gates at KP.
TOI also visited the open spaces of Bishop Cotton School and All Saints’ Cathedral, and found very few vehicles parked in the two locations.
During winter session held in the city in December last year, parking arrangements were always made in KP. The protocol officer had assured the HC this would not be repeated.
PARKING BAN
HC Orders: The HC had banned use of KP for all events excluding three — Maharashtra Day, Independence Day and Republic Day. The HC had left it to Heritage Conservation Committee to grant permission for other events. Also, on February 7, a division bench consisting of Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Justice Swapna Joshi slammed the authorities for park vehicles during winter session without consent of Heritage Conservation Committee
Heritage Panel’s Decision: After an application by collector and also CP, the Heritage Conservation Committee held a meeting on June 18. The committee refused permission for parking of vehicles at KP for monsoon session. TOI had reported about the committee’s decision on June 19
