Victory to public, environmentalists: No traffic inside Cubbon Park on Second Saturdays

The Police Commissioner buckled down under public pressure He has retracted earlier order of allowing traffic inside Cubbon Park on Second Saturdays. Meeting held with officials concerned to discuss the pros and cons of allowing traffic inside Cubbon Park. A collective decision was taken to ban traffic inside the Park.

The Commissioner of Police Praveen Sood has agreed to retract his earlier order of allowing vehicular traffic inside Cubbon Park on Second Saturdays, following strong protest by public and environmentalists.

Traffic was banned inside Cubbon Park on Second Saturdays since one and half years.  Following heavy traffic congestion surrounding Cubbon Park the Commissioner of Police had issued an order allowing traffic inside the Park. However, the public, nature lovers, Cubbon Park Walkers Association and others had expressed opposition to this order. The Cubbon Park Walkers Association president C Umesh had even warned that he would file a PIL in High Court.

A meeting was held on Tuesday by the Chief Secretary with Horticulture Department officials, Women and Child Welfare Department and Police Commissioner to discuss the pros and cons of the order by CoP.

Second Saturday being a holiday, a large number of employees of State and Central government offices visit the Park, along with their families.  There is also huge crowd of children at the Bal Bhavan inside the Park. Hence, traffic inside the Park is not desirable, said the Horticulture officials.  It was brought to the notice of the officials that during the repair of Nrupatunga Road, when traffic was permitted inside the Park, the air pollution had doubled in the Park.

A collective decision was taken not to allow traffic on Second Saturdays inside the Park and accordingly the order was withdrawn.