‘Dharna Chowk’ for city on cards

Police who launched several people-friendly initiatives wants to be protester-friendly as well.

The city police are planning to create ‘Protest Zone’ or ‘Dharna Zone’ in Vijayawada, to help citizens to vent their feelings.

Speaking to

The Hindu on Thursday, City Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao said the zone will be made soon similar to the lines of Dharna Chowk at Indira Park in Domalguda, Hyderabad.

“We will discuss with representatives of various political parties, women and student associations and other bodies before the creation of the zone,” he added.

Political parties, students, trade unions, human rights, caste associations, mahila sanghams and the other aggrieved-lot can now express their dissent in an organised manner.Hitherto, leaders of various organisations were staging dharnas and observing fasts of various kinds in front of the Sub-Collector’s office causing inconvenience to vehicular traffic and pedestrians on M.G. Road.

Police used to allow protests at one gate and allow visitors from the second gate.

The police planned to create ‘protest zone’ to avoid inconvenience to visitors walking into government offices on various works. “The protesters to register their complaints and ire in a democratic way,” a top police official said.

Police were planning to create the zones either at Lenin Centre or on BRTS Road.