Every city has a declared or undeclared protest site where any organisation or group can gather and register its protest. However, the popular protest site of Dehradun is in pathetic condition due to official neglect.
The district administration has allowed protesters to use one corner of the old Raipur Bus stand near the Parade Ground to stage sit-ins when it found that the other places like Gandhi Park or outside the State Assembly create problems for the general public. Being the State capital, Dehradun witnesses many protests and when the protesters arrive at the protest site, they have to first fight for space as the site has limited space. The floor of the site is filled with ditches and even a shower creates puddles here. During a big protest, the protesters often spill over to the nearby roads and create traffic chaos due to lack of space. The commuters of the city buses plying from here too face problem as they have to share the space with the protesters.
Suraj Singh Butola member of a federation which is camping here for last 137 days told The Pioneer that the place lacks basic facilities like drinking water and toilet. He alleged that the place is deliberately neglected by the civic authorities so the protesters face problems and do not stay here for long. Another such protester, Ramesh Padiyar, said that either this place should be improved or some other place should be provided. He said that authorities should mark a place for holding protests near the planned new Assembly building in Raipur.
The Mayor of Dehradun, Vinod Chamoli said that there is no officially declared site for holding protests in the city and the place which the protesters are using creates traffic problems. He said that he is in consultation with the district administration so that a proper place can be selected as protest site.