With 1 day to go, PU does not have a venue for Gurdas Maan concert

Chandigarh: A day before singer Gurdas Maan's concert at Panjab University, police denied permission for use of the ground in front of Arts Block 3. They also asked the organisers and the varsity to shift the concert to a larger space. The concert is part of Jashn-e-Riwayat, a fest organised by PUCSC vice-president Archit Garg. The university expects a crowd of around 7,000 but with just a day to go, no alternative venue has been finalised, leaving the fate of the event uncertain.The move comes in the wake of last Friday's chaos at Arjan Dhillon's concert, which was cancelled at the last minute after a crowd of 15,000 overwhelmed the university. A senior police official said that PU failed to assess the crowd for the show properly, leading to a situation where security could not cope with the rush. "Even on Friday, the university failed to assess the crowd. We don't want a repeat of that, which is why we have suggested a bigger venue," the official said.Police suggested shifting the event to one of the university's larger sports grounds, but permission for that was denied, with PU citing concerns over damage to equipment and infrastructure. The ground in Sector 25, another alternative, was also deemed inappropriate due to logistical challenges.With the No Objection Certificate for the event still awaited and no clear venue yet, discussions between the university and police are ongoing. While officials have assured stricter access control this time, final arrangements will depend on whether a new location is decided on time.BOX- Chaos on campusAt PU's Jhankar festival on Friday, chaos erupted as over 15,000 people thronged the venue for Arjan Dhillon's concert, which was cancelled at the last minute. Poor planning led to massive overcrowding, with no prior gate closure notice or traffic advisory. Stranded students scaled the walls to enter, while a lack of coordination with police worsened the situation.MSID:: 119431740 413 |