Ex-Chief Commissioner Chaturvedi saved Rock Garden from demolition

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 6

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I still remember the day when the then Chief Commissioner TN Chaturvedi accepted his request to save Rock Garden from demolition, said MG Deva Sahayam, who served with him as the Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh.

MG Deva Sahayam was saddened to hear the death of TN Chaturvedi, former Governor of Karnataka. TN Chaturvedi served as the Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh from 1974 to 1978.

MG Deva Sahayam said TN Chaturvedi was an able administrator and kind at heart. While sharing his memories associated with TN Chaturvedi, MG Deva Sahayam told Chandigarh Tribune that one day Nek Chand came to meet him pleading to save his creation from demolition.

MG Deva Sahayam said it was in July 1976 when an employee of the PWD, Nek Chand, came to meet him. Nek Chand asked for my help in saving his creation.

Nek Chand said the Engineering Department served him a notice for using government material and constructing Rock Garden on the forest land.

Deva Sahayam said officers of the Engineering Department discovered his dream project and were shocked as the creation had come up on the forest land and against the Master Plan.

“I wanted to help him, but it could not be possible to help alone. Then I brought the matter to the notice of the then Chief Commissioner, TN Chaturvedi. I personally requested him to help Nek Chand. TN Chaturvedi immediately agreed to help him and I prepared the plan,” he said.

“We then decided to honour Nek Chand on Republic Day. It was the only option that could give his work recognition. Without informing the then Chief Engineer that the Administration knew about the notice, we asked him to prepare a citation in the honour of Nek Chand. He was honoured with a citation, a plaque and Rs 5,000 at the Republic Day function. It changed everything. Nek Chand started the work without the fear of demolition,” he said.

Deva Sahayam said it was during Chaturvedi’s tenure that the city got a lawn tennis academy and the Mother Teresa Home.