NDMC closes Central Park for ‘administrative’ reasons

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke criticized the closure, while traders said shops would remain open and called for police to manage any crowds.

Ahead of a planned Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) flag-waving event, the New Delhi Municipal Council on Thursday issued a public notice stating that the central park would remain closed to the public on Friday and Saturday citing “administrative” reasons.

However, an official, on condition of anonymity, said that they had “received directions from higher authorities about closing the parks”. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

“It is hereby informed that the Central Park, Connaught Place, shall remain closed for general public on 16th October and 17th October due to administrative reason (sic),” said the notice, signed by the NDMC director.

When asked, senior NDMC officials did not disclose the reason for the shut down.

However, an official, on condition of anonymity, said that they had “received directions from higher authorities about closing the parks”.

“All five gates of the park would be shut,” said the official, adding that there is a very low (just 3-4ft) railing around cetain sections of the park and police would need to ensure that people don’t jump inside.

Set up above the metro station Rajiv Chowk at Connaught Place, Central Park is a green space spread over a 41,500 square metre area. It has four water bodies, a 350- seat amphitheatre for cultural activities, and it is also home to a large monumental Indian flag installation on a 207-foot-high mast.

Only the amphitheatre of the park is available to be booked for a certain kinds of functions or social cultural shows, including government events, and it sees heavy foot falls especially on weekends.

The flag is located at the corner of the park a few feet away from the Inner Circle road. “It would be difficult for us to prevent people from going near it. It is a law and order issue that police will have to deal with,” the official quoted above added.

Planned CJP Gathering

On Wednesday, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke urged “patriots” to assemble at Central Park on Friday at 5pm with the national flag, alleging that the group’s co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka had been “jailed only for unfurling the Tricolour”. Das and Ranka were detained on Tuesday just seconds after they scaled an iron gate and entered the now-denotified Jantar Mantar protest site. They were arrested a day later for “trespassing”.

Reacting the public notice, Dipke said, “If we announce 100 places, will Narendra Modi shutdown all 100 places?”

Traders and Business Concerns

Meanwhile, shopkeepers and traders said they would keep their establishments open and had so far not received any directions to stay shut by authorities. “The market will remain open tomorrow,” said Atul Bhargava from New Delhi Traders Association, adding Connaught Place is a commercial center and not a protest site.

“Our trade is being impacted due to these activities and we met Delhi Police officials in this regard. The closure of the park is a welcome step, but now the crowds may spill over on roads and police will have to take adequate steps to provide security,” he said.