CHANDIGARH, Nov 2: It is the address of several private offices, it's the obvious destination for buying wooden furniture, a must on the itinerary of those looking for entertainment; even the passport office is located here. On the flip side, however, Sector 34 is also a haven for encroachers and a ride through the highly-congested areas is anything but a pleasant experience.Being the City's sub-centre, Sector 34 is also home to the office of the AIR station. Complete with transmission and recording facilities, "Prasar Bharati" lends character to the sector.But the most prominent feature, by far, of Sector 34 is its fast-developing market. With a host of multi-storeyed buildings, the sector is considered next only to the main commercial centre of Sector 17. So we have the Regional Passport Office, office of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Directorate of Income Tax, office of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), office of Markfed, head office of Canara Bank besides scores of other equally important offices.Obviously, the market is not without its problems. As Vinay Mahajan, a chartered accountant practising in Sector 34-A, says, "The roads in the sector, especially in the market, are in a deplorable condition and ill-maintained. In fact, the repair work has not been done for ages now". Since the sector has so many offices, this is a great hassle to the employees, adds Mahajan.Those in the market also complain of problems posed by the ongoing construction, especially in the market. Says Rajesh Verma, a private entrepreneur, "The construction material is often dumped on the road itself, restricting the movement of traffic. It is a major contributing factor for the scores of accidents that take place in the sector".The Sector 34-B market is not the only speciality of the sector. The market in 34-C is also well known, for a different reason altogether. The place is the biggest "centre" of wooden furniture. The market serves not only the sector residents but attracts customers from all over the City and neighbouring towns as well.Says H.S. Bumra, president of the Nehru Shastri Furniture Market Union, "All the shopkeepers in the market are fed up with the lack of proper parking space. In the evenings, the place becomes highly-crowded and since there is no parking space available, all the vehicles are parked on the roadside, posing traffic problems".According to Bumra, though the problem has been brought to the notice of the Administration several times and even a place which can be changed into a parking area has been suggested, nothing has been done so far.One thing that strikes the mind once you enter the 34-C market is the rampant encroachments in the area. With the furniture shops keeping the material in the open, almost the entire space is covered, making moving in the corridors impossible.The sector also finds a mention when it comes to entertainment as Piccadily theatre is situated in the sector. The other popular centres are the Super Bowl and the Billiards Club. Basically catering to the higher-income group, the kids freak out on this new concept in the once-sleepy-now-happening City.Come evening and food lovers also throng the Sector 34-C market - for the place is not without its share of "specialities." Polka Pastry Shop in the Sector 34-C market is known for its bakery items - pastries, cakes, rolls. Krishan's Special Chat is also one of those not-to-be-missed items, including mouth-watering gol gappas and chaat, which enjoy clientele from all over the City.The residents of the sector are soar with the Administration for "absolutely ignoring their interests". Though the sector has nearly 20 parks, the residents protest that many of these parks are lying neglected and ill-maintained. Says Col D.R. Nijhawan, president of the Residents' Welfare Association: "The parks in the area are built on a high plane and have to be reasonably levelled and properly maintained".After all the requests to the Administration fell on "deaf ears", the residents of the sector got together, selected two parks, got these levelled and outlined the boundary with a brick wall. Says Col Nijhawan: "We contributed money for the purpose and spent nearly Rs 15,000 to level the park and develop it." Nearly 50 saplings have also been planted in the parks.Children's joy rides in the parks which were lying in a neglected state were painted while two more sets were installed in the parks. On future plans, Nijhawan said, "We are planning to construct a Gazebo for elderly citizens of the sector. This will be on the lines of a village chaupal, where people could gather and sit together and talk in peace. Work on this is already underway." The residents also complain of lack of properly-developed gardens in the sector, which is a major hassle for the morning walkers.
