Chandigarh’s ‘Open Hand’ gets partial freedom for visitors

CHANDIGARH - Chandigarh’s famous ‘Open Hand’ monument, designed and built by the city’s founder-architect Le Corbusier to depict the city’s spirit of ‘open to give and open to take’, can now be visited by common people.

Officials of the Chandigarh administration, in consultation with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Tuesday allowed people to visit — albeit with restricted timings — the monument located on the northern-most tip of the city.

The monument, which is located next to the high court complex and is part of the ‘Capitol Complex’ designed by Corbusier himself in the 1950s, was made out of bounds for the general public by security agencies in the name of security of the high court complex.

The way till the monument was barricaded in April last year and entry was allowed only for judges of the high court.

The administration has now marked the time slot for visiting the ‘Open Hand’ monument.

On working days, the site will be open from 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays, visitors can come between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Conducted tours of schools and travel agencies, up to the strength of 50, will be permissible now.

The administration said private vehicles still cannot drive up to the monument. Only eco-friendly vehicles like bicycles, cycle-rickshaw will be allowed up to the ‘Open Hand’ monument.

The rest of the vehicles will be parked at a little distance, near a roundabout.

The meeting was chaired by Chandigarh’s Home Secretary Ram Niwas.

A number of city activists had recently held protests at the monument against the decision of security agencies to seal off the area completely.

The home secretary asked Chandigarh’s tourism director to make the provision for battery-operated vehicles for old people to reach the monument.

The local police have been asked to ensure that no demonstration, march, protest or meeting is held at the monument. Loud speakers cannot be used except with written permission from the competent authority.

Eatables, water bottles, firearms and other stuff cannot be carried to the area.

Visitors will not be allowed to go towards the high court or the Punjab and Haryana Vidhan Sabha buildings.