Amit Singh, CRN, February 2, 2012, 1500 hrs
Voicing their demand for a safer, cleaner and regulated work environment, nearly 12,500 people engaged with 1,283 businesses and offices in Nehru Place staged a symbolic protest on February 2, 2012 between 10 am to 12 pm.
The peaceful protest was called for by major associations including PCAIT, ADCTA, CMDA, EPSA, and NIWA against unauthorized hawkers, non-existent basic amenities and dilapidated commercial buildings.
The participants showed their solidarity by wearing Save Nehru Place caps and supported the protest with slogans like Mil kar jor lagana hai, Nehru Place bachana hai and Abhi to yeh angrai hai, aage aur ladai hai.
“During the Commonwealth Games 2010, we organized a drive, Nehru Place Chamkao, and demanded the Governor of Delhi and other concerned authorities to spruce up the surroundings and facilities in Nehru Place. But, no one paid any heed to our demands. The objective has changed now to Nehru Place Bachao,” said RK Malhotra, President, PCAIT.
“Hawking and selling of pirated software by juveniles is a thriving business and it must be immediately cracked down. We demand immediate appointment of a local commissioner to give a first hand view of the situation. We also demand better sanitation services and removal of encroachment from the area. DDA and Delhi police should clear the street vendors and hawkers except 114 sub-judice hawkers allowed by the Delhi High Court,” said Mahinder Aggarwal, President, ADCTA.
“We shall continue to ask for the pride of place that Nehru Place had come to deserve as a commercial hub adding Rs 1,000 crore annually to the government revenues,” asserted AK Sehgal, President, NIWA.
The protest was ended with a 30-days ultimatum to the civic administration of Nehru Place to take a permanent action to regulate hawking, cleanliness, parking and security. However, the associations have also decided to continue its campaign and launch the second round of peaceful protest on March 2, 2012.
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