Patiala, Mar 11 (UNI) A large number of city residents, particularly morning walkers and theatre lovers today staged a protest in the historic Baradari Gardens to register their protest against the closure of some roads in the Gardens by a hotel chain which is setting up a hotel.

The protestors formed a human chain on The Mall entrance to the gardens.

The morning walkers had planned the protest against the decision of the previous Punjab government led by Capt Amarinder Singh to lease out the roads adjoining the Rajindra Kothi in the Baradari Gardens to the Neemrana hotel chain. They alleged the move caused a lot of inconvenience to them and they could not move around the Baradari Gardens freely.

Similarly, the National Theatre Arts Society, which stages a weekly play in the Baradari Gardens has also expressed its disapproval on the decision to close roads. The Society members are of the opinion that the decision by Capt Singh, who is a resident of the city, had angered theatre lovers and the artists, Mr Pran Sabharwal, director of the Society said while talking to mediapersons.

The protectors demanded the Punjab government immediately revoke its decision to lease out roads in the Baradari Gardens to the Neemrana Group of hotels and ensure the glory of the historic gardens be maintained.

The Patiala district unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal has appealed to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to scrap the agreement of the government with Neemrana Hotel Private Limited to develop Rajindra Kothi as a heritage hotel in the heart of Baradari Gardens.

UNI