Chandigarh: RWA locks gates of Sector 2 parks, residents object

The Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of Sector 2 has locked the main gates of parks meant for the entry of vehicles such as tractor-trailers and grass-cutters to prevent illegal parking, prompting some residents to question the move.

Darpan Kapoor, president of the Sector 2 RWA, justified the decision, saying that vehicles were being parked inside the green spaces, causing damage to the parks and defeating their purpose.

However, Tamanna Sahrawat, a local resident, said locking the gates had made it difficult for elderly persons using wheelchairs to access the parks.

Sahrawat said she raised the issue with local councillor Mahesh Inder Singh Sidhu, who told her that the gates had been locked by the RWA.

Sidhu said all parks and green belts in Sector 2 were covered under a memorandum of understanding with the RWA, which was responsible for their maintenance. He said the main vehicle gates had been installed to facilitate the entry of tractor-trailers and grass-cutters for maintenance work.

Meanwhile, Kapoor said the RWA had circulated a notice among residents before locking the gates, explaining that a large number of vehicles were being parked inside the green spaces. He said a guard had also been deployed at the Verka Booth park to maintain a record of Municipal Corporation workers entering the park for maintenance and to open the gate whenever required for legitimate access.

He said only the large gates meant for vehicle entry had been locked and all pedestrian entrances remained open. The keys of the locked gates were available with the security guard and could be obtained for genuine requirements, including wheelchair access.

Kapoor said the RWA had been entrusted with the upkeep of the parks about three months ago. It was now planning to make the parks more visitor-friendly and would make provisions for easier wheelchair access in the near future.

Another resident said illegal parking inside the parks had become a major nuisance, particularly during functions in the area, when visitors would use the green spaces for parking. Government vehicles were also parked inside the parks, he said.

The resident said the condition of the parks had earlier been poor when they were maintained by the Municipal Corporation, but had improved since the RWA took over their upkeep.