Chandigarh traders oppose proposed underground parking in Sec 11

Chandigarh, November 12

The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) has opposed the proposed underground parking and an underpass in the market of Sector 11.

A five-member delegation of the CBM and senior-office-bearers of the Market Welfare Association (MWA) of Sector 11-D met MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra over the proposed Rs 100 crore underground project as part of the Master Plan suggestion of year 2013. The proposed project will have two-level underground parking and an underpass towards the PGI.

The delegation, led by Charanjiv Singh, president, CBM, Diwakar Sahoonja, president, MWA, Sector 11-D, and Sanjeev Chadha, general secretary, CBM, registered their concern over the six-year-old proposal in the Master Plan for developing underground passage as well as parking for the market in that very area.

Charanjiv said creating green area on top and shifting the parking underground would not only make approach difficult to shops and laboratories, but also so-called landscaped top would invite encroachers and misused place for vendors.

He said the landscaped greenbelt on top would shrink the front space of the market and house No. 1 to 17 and also cause inconvenience to people approaching the shops.

Diwakar took up the issue of huge investment in machinery and stocks by traders feeding urgent medical needs of the region, which will go non-functional during development phase with likely loss to public as well. They suggested increasing parking facilities in the PGI as a majority of the parking in the market is by visitors to the hospital.

The Commissioner assured the delegation of giving due consideration to huge loss of stakeholders before any such project and would support any improvement efforts by the association towards cleanliness and better parking in the market.