Residents encroach upon park in Chandigarh’s Sector 27

The park with a functional open-air gym is also being used by them to dry clothes

A few residents have encroached upon a park opposite Arya Samaj Mandir in Sector 27 by making illegal entrances from their houses to get a direct access. The park with a functional open-air gym is also being used by them to dry clothes.

Shubham Sharma, a local, said that people come to the park to dry their clothes almost every day. “We had written to the authorities regarding this and were told that notices had been sent about a month back but nothing has changed even now.”

Another resident on the condition of anonymity said that before the lockdown some residents had also been using the park’s entrance as makeshift shops. Some residents also park their vehicles which is not allowed.

Area councillor Devinder Singh Babla said, “These are government quarters and the practice has been going on for a long while. The residents here had told me that they have no other alternative but to dry their clothes in the park. The area is plagued with monkeys who steal clothes from the roofs of houses, so residents hang them in the park to keep a vigil.”

Babla added that although it wasn’t allowed, there was no alternative available and he has not received any complaint regarding this.

UT deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Abdul Qayum said, “We need to check whether the trees in the park have been harmed to hook up the clothing lines. Such a practice should be discouraged.”

Officials of the horticulture wing of the MC said that they would investigate into the matter and action would be taken if anyone is found encroaching upon the park.

Officials of the UT estate department said that they will have to visit the spot to see if there is any violation, “Government houses are made as per plans by the engineering department and we will have to check with them if the entrances made into the park are allowed are not,” they said.