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What?s now beats off what?s been!
POLITICAL PRIORITIES take precedence over all other things. And nothing explains this better than the decision to shift the venue for Beating the Retreat function from the Lakshman Mela Ground to Dr Ambedkar Rally Maidan to accommodate a political rally.
POLITICAL PRIORITIES take precedence over all other things. And nothing explains this better than the decision to shift the venue for Beating the Retreat function from the Lakshman Mela Ground to Dr Ambedkar Rally Maidan to accommodate a political rally.
The administration authorities found themselves on the horns of a dilemma when Samajwadi Party’s youth outfit, the Yuvjan Sabha, decided to hold its convention here at the Lakshman Mela Ground on January 29. Nothing unusual about it except for the fact that the day and venue chosen by the SP’s youth brigade coincided with the function that marks the finale of the Republic Day celebrations.
The piquant situation that cropped up because of the clash in venue was ultimately resolved when the authorities finally decided to move this year’s Beating the Retreat ceremony to the Ambedkar Rally Maidan instead. While sources in the administration confirmed this District Magistrate RN Tripathi was not available for comments.
So even as Sunday is going to be a hectic day for the administration authorities, here’s a piece of advice to those planning a day out: Don’t venture out. Or else, chances are you might find yourself in the middle of a traffic jam or the mayhem that is expected to be let loose on the city roads since morning. Here’s why: apart from the show of strength by SP’s youth wing on Gomti banks, another congregation, that of cricket zealots is expected to throng to the KD Singh Babu Stadium at around the same time. For the unitiated, UP would be taking on the ‘Bengal Tigers’ on the very first day of the Ranji Trophy match at the KD Singh Babu Stadium here on Sunday.
Add to that the Beating Retreat function at the Ambedkar Maidan, and you can bet that the administration officials here have a tough job to handle on Sunday.
“Additional district magistrates have been made in-charge of the arrangements at all the three places,” said ADM (executive) NP Singh when contacted. Duties of the officers have been drawn up in shifts to ensure proper arrangements at these events, he said adding that some of the officers would even have to do a double shift. While ADM (civil supplies) would be supervising the arrangements at the Lakshman Mela Ground, ADM (City East) and ADM (Finance) have been put in charge of the Beating the Retreat function and the cricket match at the KD Singh Stadium, respectively, he said.
Meanwhile, the traffic police have imposed restrictions on the movement of traffic. Vehicular traffic coming from Nishatganj and NBRI crossing will be not allowed to take the Lakshman Mela/Bandha Road. Likewise, city buses coming from Charbagh will be diverted towards Cantonment Road from Burlington Crossing.
Vehicular traffic from GTI will be diverted towards Badshah Nagar crossing and proceed towards Nishatganj crossing. No vehicles will be allowed to be parked on the Bandha Road and the Gomti bridge. The admnistration has made parking arrangements for vehicles carrying rallyists in front of the Nadwa College.
