Dharna sthal: Admn still hunting for a suitable site

LUCKNOW: Roads bursting at the seams and traffic maelstroms are a never-ending affair in the city, as a designated ‘dharna sthal’ is still a distant dream. Consequently, demonstrations and protests, almost a regular scene on the city roads, throw traffic out of gear.

The issue of dharna sthal is not new for the state capital. It was first raised 8 years back . Senior administrative officials said initially, the official dharna sthal in the state capital was opposite the Vidhan Bhawan. But in November 2009, it was shifted to Jhulelal Park in front of Nadwa and Shaheed Smarak after a massive demonstration was staged in the city.

“It was a massive demonstration that left almost the whole city jam packed. After this, the dharna sthal was shifted,” an official said.

In January 2011, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) began the exercise to establish a demonstration point. It also shortlisted an area of 25,000 square metres on the Gomti bank near Lucknow University at a cost of Rs 3 crore. The LDA’s move was initiated after para teachers desecrated the monuments set up in honour of unidentified martyrs, during a demonstration in September 2010.

But the ‘dharna sthal’ was never established due to departmental hassles.

In the tenure of former SP government, the district administration again began the hunt for suitable dharna sthal. District administration sources said the administration had proposed two points, Rama Bai Ground and Laxman Mela ground, as feasible demonstration points in the city.

But the government rejected the proposals for unknown reasons. After the proposal was rejected , the district administration again proposed a new dharna sthal—Bansal ki Bagiya. It was proposed after Congress protestors staged a massive protest opposite Vidhan Bhawan , affecting traffic movement.

The administration also submitted Rs 2 crore to the LDA to ensure early development of the site and for the construction of rooms, shelter, toilets, connecting roads, potable water facility, public addressing system and other facilities .

But again nothing concrete took shape following some legal issues.

Now the district administration has once again started the hunt for a suitable dharna sthal. The move was a sequel to the administration’s failure to man the crowd of Shiksha Mitra, who staged protest on August 21.

“We are hunting for a suitable place for dharna sthal. Additional district magistrate (transGomti) and sub divisional magistrate (SDM) are on the job,” said Kaushal Raj Sharma, district magistrate Lucknow.