Normal life, business hit near concert venue

Though the UT Administration tried its best to prevent chaos during the live concert of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, which was part of his “Dil-Luminati Tour” in India, at the Sector 34 Exhibition Ground, life in the vicinity was affected due to the show.

While the entry to venue was scheduled to start at 3 pm, the road (Sector 34) leading to the arena was closed to vehicles at 11 am. By 12 noon, the slip road (towards Sham Fashion Mall) was also closed and the traffic was diverted to the main road. By the evening, ahead of the singer’s arrival at the venue, people started to reach there in large numbers. Despite dedicated parking slots and shuttle bus service, cars were seen parked in Sector 21 (near the petrol pump) and on the road just opposite to the venue.

A few young fans were injured during the concert and they struggled to get help as private vehicles were not allowed near the venue.

The police stopped the owners of nearby buildings from watching the show from their rooftops. “We have been asked to leave the rooftop. Earlier, there were restrictions of driving vehicles to our offices,” said Aaparna, who runs an office in Sector 34.

The business of two nearby filling stations and the market was affected due to the restrictions. Fans have to walk to the venue after parking their vehicles at designated lots. They complained of poor shuttle service. Things were no better after the show.

“The UT Administration could have avoided this traffic chaos just by shifting the venue. How can they expect no disruption in normal life by allowing permission to hold the show in the middle of the city? They should have come up with a better plan,” said Ananad Mitra, a government employee who was held up in a traffic jam at the Sector 32 junction.