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Police deny nod to Arijit Singh’s Chandigarh concert
Accusing the concert organisers of poor planning, Chandigarh Police said they failed to submit parking plans for over 5,000 cars expected to turn up at the concert
In a major blow to singer Arijit Singh’s fans, Chandigarh Police have denied permission for his November 4 concert, citing inadequate parking arrangements at the concert venue — the Exhibition Ground in Sector 34.
Accusing the concert organisers of poor planning, police said they failed to submit parking plans for over 5,000 cars expected to turn up at the concert.
Police have sent a written communication to the Chandigarh deputy commissioner, refusing permission for the show, even when over 7,000 tickets – ranging from ₹1,800 for students to ₹2 lakh for packages – have been sold.
The package features six-chair seating arrangement in front of the stage, with wine and liquor included in the ticket.
“The organisers only booked the venue without booking the parking space. The organisers had proposed shuttle service for which they were asked to submit a proposal with the Chandigarh Police. We had asked them to postpone the show to December since two grounds in Sector 34 are already occupied for Dubai Carnival and another exhibition, covering the parking space. It is not possible to accommodate 5,000 cars without sufficient parking space or else the city will be choked,” a senior police officer said.
The organisers, according to the sources, were also asked to shift the venue to Sector 25, but they refused.
Meanwhile, Vijay from Tarish Entertainment Private Limited, the concert’s organiser, said they had already marked nearby open spaces for parking and were already getting a few vacant plots after getting permission from municipal authorities.
“Our team will sort out all concerns in a couple of days and the concert will take place on the scheduled date at the same venue,” he claimed.
Originally planned on May 27, the concert was deferred back then due to heavy rainfall. Police in May had also registered a case of cheating against a firm on the complaint of the concert organisers for fake advertisements regarding the event to promote its restaurant.
