Open House: Should the Admn permit concerts and events, which often lead to taffic snarls, in the heart of the city?

Develop infra to support influx

The influx of visitors attending an event in the city centre can lead to traffic congestion. The limited parking space at venues like the Sector-34 ground is another big issue. The authorities need to bring in an infra upgrade and develop a traffic management plan, including diversions, parking and pedestrian management before proceeding with any more such events.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

Hold events away from city centre

The visits of VIPs and the artistes of repute create problems for the daily commuters. Keeping in view the daily commute, such events should be held at designated places away from the city centre like Mullanpur or Sector 39. The visitors will also feel more comfortable with better spacious parking facilities.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Intelligence must be strengthened

Strengthen intelligence gathering and sharing between agencies to identify potential threats. Install CCTV cameras with facial recognition capabilities at vulnerable points in the city. Launch public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on bomb blast risks and prevention.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

Need better Schedules

In the interest of public, big events should not be held near residential area. They can also be scheduled on days with lower traffic flow For the sake of the city's heritage. Also, the sound levels and timing restrictions as outlined by the administration should also be followed strictly.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Encourage use of public transport

Hosting concerts and other recreational events in tricity is a welcome step. However, to ensure smooth execution, a traffic policy should be implemented, and residents informed in advance to plan their movements. Adequate parking arrangements and CCTV cameras for safety are essential. Public transport use should be encouraged to ease congestion.

BS Dhillon, Mohali

Pick-and-drop service

When big-ticket events are being hosted, the administration should ask the organisers to arrange their pick-and-drop vehicles from designated spots slightly away from the venue. This way, visitors will park vehicles at designated points, lowering the burden on a specific location. Visitors can also be encouraged to walk from the designated points.

Vidya Joshi, Chandigarh

Grant permissions after analyses

Big events should not be allowed in congested areas within the city. Besides the obvious traffic issues, the high levels of sound also causes a nuisance for nearby residents. The bigger the star, the higher are the ticket sales and proportionate difficulties in organising events. Permissions should be granted only at places that can handle such influx.

Deepak Taak, Panchkula

More eyes on the ground

The administration should manage traffic by using drones, CCTV cameras and take help of marshals, home guard volunteers and others. The use of electric golf carts from the parking site can reduce concentration of cars in one area. The organisers must share the cost and coordinate with the administration.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Need long-term plan

Concerts are here to stay, necessitating a permanent solution to the inconvenience caused there in. There is a need to designate a specific area of land outside the city for the purposes of such concerts, events etc. Such spaces can also be used by political parties to hold rallies during elections and designated protest sites. It will ensure that city residents are not harassed and help do away with traffic snarls.

Gurnoor Grewal, Chandigarh

Start looking at new venues

To curtail and curb inconveniences that come with concerts and other such big shows, the events should be shifted to the Sector-25 ground or the Leisure Valley, which are equally big and can sustain a large crowd, rather than crowding the heart of City Beautiful.

Parisha Khatri, Chandigarh

Be better prepared

The frequent concerts and events in the heart of the city create chaos and commotion on the roads, causing inconvenience to the commuters. These concerts should be held on the outskirts of the city and the police should be better prepared to handle the influx. With stringent measures, the concerts can become an enjoyable affair for everyone.

Arpita Anand, Chandigarh

Follow a more systematic plan

To reduce the inconvenience caused to city residents at big events, they should be held in open areas with easier access. The security guards should be vigilant to check who's entering the vicinity and how. By following a more systematic plan, tricity can host many such events in future.

Akshansh Thakur,, Chandigarh

Host events on public holidays

To minimise disruption, concerts and other such events should be scheduled on weekends or public holidays. Longer events should be relocated to less crowded venues, such as Leisure Valley, ensuring public convenience. Scientific traffic management, with assistance from volunteers, is essential for smooth execution.

Vijay Katyal, Panchkula

Come up with better alternatives

To tackle traffic snarls, the UT administration could explore alternative, less congested venues, implement stringent traffic management plans, or impose time restrictions on such events. Prioritizing the convenience and well-being of the city's inhabitants should be paramount.

Sahibpreet Singh, Mohali

Fix parking woes

The UT administration should consider relocating large events to peripheral areas with better infrastructure. Alternatively, implementing strict traffic management plans, providing ample parking, and promoting public transport can mitigate the impact. Engaging local communities in planning and ensuring timely communication about events can also help in reducing inconvenience for residents and commuters.

Sargunpreet Kaur, Mohali

Fix infrastructure shortcomings

The centrally located venues with limited infrastructure in tricity are not equipped handle the influx of large crowds and vehicles. This results in congestion, noise pollution and disruption of daily life. Such events, no doubt, enhance cultural vibrancy, their impact on public inconvenience causes concerns. Effective traffic management, alternative venues, stricter regulations are required.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Frame policy for hosting such events

The UT administration should frame a policy for hosting big-ticket events. It is not difficult to control the traffic problem because Chandigarh is a modern city. It has some of the country's widest and smoothest roads with modern traffic lights and management should be easy of the commitment is right.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Look beyond traditional venues

Organising events and concerts in the Sector-34 ground causes traffic snarls, air pollution and inconvenience to nearby residents and also affects commercial activities in the sector. The MC should consider shifting some of the pressure onto open spaces with ample parking, provide public transport for such events and increase police presence to regulate the traffic.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Earmark space with ample parking

While the Sector-34 ground is known for holding events like fairs, the centrally located venue is not equipped to handle the pressure of hosting concerts. The administration should instead earmark an area on the outskirts of Chandigarh with ample parking where such concerts can be held without causing any inconvenience to the residents.

Col KJ Singh (retd.), Chandigarh

Host events as per venue capacity

The administration has already made space for huge gatherings in the city at Sector 25. Therefore, events like concerts and rallies expected to have massive public participation should be held there. The ground in Sector 34 could, however, be allowed to host exhibitions, carnivals and circus.

SS Arora, Mohali

Not worth the trouble

The authorities earns only a few thousands in terms of revenue from events like concerts while

the organizers end up making crores. That hardly justifies the hardships being faced by the public. Events like these should only be allowed in an earmarked place like Kalagram near the railway station or Sector 25 etc with trouble free traffic management for general public.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Keep concerts away from residential area

The recent concert at Sector-34 ground has shown the harrowing experience that residents have to face during a big event. Chaos reigned over the streets despite restrictions on movements of vehicles. Additional arrangements should be made to keep such events away from residential areas. The Sector-25 ground or Sector-17 parade ground may be considered as alternatives.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Use profits to make a difference

Concerts should be organised in stadium or clubs with capacity of holding thousands of people and could be well equipped with security measurements. Organisers make huge amount of money from these shows. If a part of money is spent on improving the organization of the event, it can make a huge difference.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Solution right in front of our eyes

Hosting live concerts in Sector 34, is chaotic due to space constraints and residential proximity. A more suitable venue is the ground in Sector 25. This spacious area can accommodate large crowds, reducing noise pollution and ensuring a safer experience. The ground's controlled environment would also enable better event management.

Shruti K Chawla, Chandigarh

Question for next week

Cybercrime has significantly increased in recent years, and despite various awareness campaigns, fraudsters continue to deceive people. What additional measures can be taken to enhance cyber awareness?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com