Cubbon Park land converted to a parking lot

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: All these days, a stretch of the footpath on Dr Ambedkar Veedhi near the General Post Office was occupied by police vehicles and barricades. Pedestrians used to walk on the road along this stretch, especially during the Assembly session.

The traffic police have been making arrangements to keep barricades and police vehicles at a designated place along the nursery near the General Post Office. Generally, the traffic police penalize motorists if they park their vehicles on the footpath. However, all these years, traffic police used to keep the barricades and their two-wheelers or even park police vans on the footpath as a precautionary measure, in case there is a law and order issue during the Assembly session.

On Friday, a few workers were seen levelling the ground to facilitate parking of vehicles and keep barricades. “I welcome the traffic police decision to have a separate place for keeping the barricades and their vehicles. It will help the pedestrians to walk on the footpath without any hurdles,” said Narayana Swamy N., a pedestrian. Umesh S, president, Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association has objected to traffic police converting a piece of park land into a parking lot. “Let the traffic police park their vehicles and keep all the barricades at Vidhana Soudha premises. What to say if the police, who are supposed to protect Cubbon Park land, violate the norm. I am opposing it,” said Umesh.

Meanwhile, Cubbon Park Traffic Police Inspector has said that it needs a few more days to develop the vacant space for keeping barricades and police vehicles. “Work is in progress. It will avoid police keeping barricades on the footpath,” said the traffic police inspector.