A file photo of women protesting hiked gas cylinder prices, at KC Circle in Hubballi
Officials familiar with the earlier discussions said an exclusive protest zone had been earmarked, but the plan did not move forward due to property issues. With development works already narrowing routes and diverting traffic, commuters and residents have reported repeated disruptions, particularly at peak hours, as protests occupy road space, slow down vehicular flow and hamper other activities in the area.
Bhushan Borase, police commissioner, Hubballi-Dharwad, said that he will discuss a dedicated protest zone in Hubballi with the DC and other officials. Rudresh Ghali, commissioner, HDMC, said that he will go through the files pertaining to establishing an exclusive protest zone and discuss them with all the concerned officials in this regard. Gurunath Ullikashi, president, Various Dalit Organisations Okkuta, said with protests now increasing and causing more trouble, once again we press for the exclusive protest zone. He also said that a dedicated space would allow demonstrations to be held in an orderly manner, without affecting traffic movement and day-to-day activities across key parts of the city.
Hubballi : A rise in protests in the city in recent days has revived the long-pending demand for an exclusive protest zone on the lines of Freedom Park in Bengaluru. Political parties and other groups have been staging demonstrations at KC Circle, Sangolli Rayanna circle and near the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) office to grab the authorities’ attention.