Cops deny permission for Gurdas Maan concert at UBS ground
The concert, organised by the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) as part of the Jashan-e-Riwayat student fest, was set to take place at the ground in front of the UBS. However, after a site visit, police officials deemed the venue too small to handle the expected crowd safely.
The UT police have denied permission to host singer Gurdas Maan’s concert at the ground in front of University Business School (UBS), Panjab University, on Tuesday evening. The decision was made following multiple meetings on Monday.
The concert, organised by the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) as part of the Jashan-e-Riwayat student fest, was set to take place at the ground in front of the UBS. However, after a site visit, police officials deemed the venue too small to handle the expected crowd safely.
“We have not outright refused permission but have asked for a bigger venue such as the athletics or cricket ground. Given the large turnout at the previous concert on Friday, the UBS ground is inadequate,” said a senior police officer.
Despite efforts by PU to manage crowd control, including a proposed no-vehicle zone near the venue, the requirement for a fresh proposal meant that police approval was unlikely in time for the event.
Panjab University vice-chancellor Renu Vig said that the university had given conditional permission, pending final approval from the authorities. “We will not allow the concert without the police’s green signal,” she said.
Archit Garg, PUCSC vice-president, acknowledged the unfortunate timing of the event, coming right after the Friday concert.
Sources revealed that while Friday’s event was backed by PU authorities, Jashan-e-Riwayat relied mainly on National Students Union of India (NSUI) funds.
PU seeks explanation for Friday’s concert chaos
The Panjab University has sought an explanation from PUCSC president Anurag Dalal regarding the cancellation of Friday’s concert just 15 minutes before it was scheduled to begin. Vice-chancellor Renu Vig said that the dean of student welfare (DSW) had issued a notice as the decision should have come from either PU authorities or the police, which was not the case. The premature cancellation led to confusion, causing crowd mismanagement and further traffic congestion on the campus late at night.
