AAP leader Thiara stands by stadium walkers at Mithapur

A day after Jalandhar Tribune reported that the morning walkers at Shaheed Darshan Singh Kaypee Stadium at Mithapur had been asked to pay Rs 2,500 per person per annum from July 1 to avail the facility, the AAP halqa incharge of Jalandhar Cantonment Rajwinder Kaur Thiara went in their favour.

On Saturday, she got the signage mentioning the charges at the entry of the stadium spray-painted. She posted a video of the same on her Facebook page and wrote, "Some miscreants had announced to charge Rs 2,500 from people visiting the stadium. As soon as this information reached me, I asked Municipal Corporation officials to investigate the matter by visiting the spot."

Even as the stadium renovation work has been done under the Centre's Smart City project, she told her followers, "I want to tell you that the stadium belongs to the people. The work will also be done by the state government. No one will be charged any money. The stadium will be inaugurated soon and dedicated to the people."

Mayor Vaneet Dhir had already said the members of the Youth Sports Club, Mithapur, who have been maintaining the stadium, could not arbitrarily charge the amount. The club had maintained, "We do not get any funds from the government to maintain the stadium, pay power bill for water motor used or employ gardeners and security personnel. We have to bear a monthly expenditure of Rs 1 lakh and the collection from facility users would only help maintain it well".