Ludhiana: Student body opposes turning of playground into parking lot
Punjab Students Union (PSU) staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office on Monday against the government's proposal to convert the playground of Government College for Girls, into a parking lot. Students demanded an immediate rollback of the plan and submitted a formal memorandum to Upinderjit Kaur, chief minister's regional officer.
The controversy was sparked after Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora suggested the education minister Harjot Bains the college ground, situated near a busy religious site, be used as a parking facility to address growing traffic congestion. The suggestion has triggered backlash from both students and education advocates, who view it as a direct threat to student spaces.
PSU state president Ranveer Singh Kurar and national coordinator Amandeep Singh Khiewali led the protest, criticising the proposal as 'deeply disappointing.' They claimed the government that promised an 'education revolution' is now eyeing land belonging to educational institutions for commercial use.
'This college has only one ground — it's where sports meets, events, and cultural activities are conducted,' said Kurar. 'Turning it into a parking lot is a blatant attack on students' future.'
The PSU leaders also questioned, 'How does the government expect India to win Olympic medals when it is snatching away spaces meant for training and growth?' They urged the administration to consider alternative locations like railway land or Guru Nanak Stadium's parking instead of sacrificing a vital student facility.
Ranveer Singh claimed that the construction of the parking lot had already quietly begun. 'This is just the beginning,' he said. 'If we don't resist now, the entire ground will be gone.'
Concerns about student safety were also voiced during the protest. 'We practice in the evening, and having outsiders park in the playground will compromise our security,' said a student.
PSU were student leaders warned that if the decision isn't reversed, the next protest will be outside the home of MP Sanjeev Arora.
When questioned about the ongoing construction, Member of Parliament Sanjeev Arora clarified that the vacant land adjacent to the college's boundary wall is designated for the new parking facility, aiming to alleviate the area's traffic congestion. He assured that the students' playground would remain unaffected by this development. 'In fact,' he added, 'we plan to enhance the existing tracks to provide better facilities for the students.'
When approached, college principal Suman Lata said that pillars are currently being installed to facilitate electrical wiring, a step in the development of a new parking facility on the campus ground.
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