A controversy has erupted in Jalandhar's Mithapur area after the management of Shaheed Darshan Singh K.P. Stadium announced that visitors will now be required to pay an annual entry fee of Rs 2,500 for morning and evening walks, effective from July 1. As soon as the Rs 2500 annual fee was announced, residents condemned it and staged protests demanding an immediate rollback.
According to a notice board placed outside the K.P Stadium, those wishing to walk for three months must submit their Aadhaar card and pay Rs 1,000. A six-month pass will cost Rs 1,500. The fee plan, introduced by the Sports Club Mithapur, has drawn strong criticism from the public, especially senior citizens, women, and regular walkers.
Reacting to the decision, local councillor Balraj Thakur met with Municipal Commissioner Gautam Jain and submitted a memorandum demanding that the stadium be brought under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation. “This facility was built in 1992 by the Punjab government for public welfare. Now, imposing a fee to use it is unfair and unjust,” said Thakur.
Balraj Thakur added that under the Jalandhar Smart City Project, the stadium was upgraded with a hockey ground and a walking track for community use. “If a family of four wants to walk here, Any kind of fee is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
Residents echoed similar sentiments, arguing that public access to such facilities should remain free. “Even if the Youth Club is managing the maintenance, charging entry fees from the public is wrong,” one local said. As per reports, the Municipal Corporation has not officially handed over the stadium’s maintenance to any private body post-renovation.
Reacting to annual charges for morning or evening walk at the park, a resident talking to True Scoop said, "This step is totally wrong. They are asking for a membership charge, which is not acceptable at all."
Another resident said, "The decision is not right. One who goes for a morning or evening walk at the park, for them to give Rs 2500 annually is too much."