Patna: Divisional commissioner Anand Kishor on Tuesday prohibited the entry of vehicles into Gandhi Maidan from Wednesday after The Telegraph highlighted how cars and bikes were damaging the beautification work of the ground.
The iconic city ground is being refurbished for Rs 3 crore. Installation of a jogging track (morrum pathway), chequered tiles and paver blocks is going on. However, there is scant supervision of the project and people have started riding two-wheelers and even four-wheelers over the tiles and morrum pathway, damaging the material.
Kishor also penalised Daring Laborious Security Service and Housekeeping, the agency that has been given the responsibility of keeping the Maidan clean, for negligence in the work. Kishor ordered that 25 per cent of the agency's monthly payment be deducted.
Kishor, who heads the Sri Krishna Smarak Vikas Samiti responsible for the maintenance and beautification of Gandhi Maidan, directed officials to ensure that no vehicle could enter the Maidan and damage the under-construction morrum pathway being built as a jogging track adjacent to the concrete road.
"The installation of chequered tiles and paver blocks on both sides of the pathway is in its final stage, but visitors create a lot of trouble for us by riding two-wheelers on the track," said an official of the agency entrusted with the facelift of the iconic ground. Kishor on Tuesday also ordered a ban on thelas (vendors' carts) in the Maidan.
He instructed the officials to coordinate with the agencies conducting fairs at Gandhi Maidan and tell them to build fenced parking slots to prevent vehicles from entering other parts of the ground during events at the Maidan.
Kishor acknowledged that the jogging track was a long pending demand of morning walkers.
He also directed officials to deploy police personnel at the Maidan gates to ensure that no motorist could get in.
District magistrate Kumar Ravi and superintendent of police (central) D. Amarkesh were present at the meeting.