Chandigarh, May 9 -- After a series of large events shifted out of the city due to venue constraints and traffic concerns, the Chandigarh administration has decided to set up a trial concert facility at Sarangpur to assess its viability before proceeding with a permanent, mega concert and exhibition hub. Officials said the administration will initially use 8-10 acres of land, located opposite IRB Sarangpur, on a pilot basis. The space will be expanded in phases depending on the response and operational feasibility. While the long-term plan envisions hosting gatherings of up to 20,000 people, the trial phase will begin with events accommodating 5,000-8,000 attendees, with the first event expected in the next two months. Temporary setup to test feasibility as part of the interim arrangement, the administration has begun preparing the ground with basic infrastructure, including mobile washrooms, designated parking areas, and emergency exit gates. The temporary facility will allow authorities to host concerts and public events even as the permanent venue remains under planning. Officials said the trial will help assess key aspects such as crowd management, traffic flow, parking logistics, emergency response systems, and overall feasibility of handling large-scale gatherings. Inputs from these events will shape the design and execution of the permanent concert-cum-exhibition centre. The move is part of the UT's broader plan to develop a 25-acre concert-cum-exhibition hub at Sarangpur, aimed at hosting national and international events. While the full-scale project is expected to take around six months once executed, the administration is pushing ahead with the temporary model to avoid delays in hosting large events. Meanwhile, the administration is yet to obtain environmental clearance for the proposed permanent project. The ground is being developed on the lines of the exhibition venue in Sector 34, which has traditionally hosted concerts and exhibitions but has increasingly faced capacity and logistical constraints. In recent years, Chandigarh has lost several high-profile concerts to neighbouring cities such as Mohali and Panchkula due to venue limitations. By developing Sarangpur as a dedicated event space, the administration aims to bring large-scale concerts and exhibitions back to the city. The decision to move large gatherings to Sarangpur follows repeated traffic snarls and public complaints during major concerts in central sectors. Events at Sector 34 in December 2024 - including performances by Karan Aujla and Diljit Dosanjh - drew massive crowds, leading tocongestion, noise concerns, and disruptions to local businesses. Ahead of one such event, residents had approached the Punjab and Haryana high court, which allowed the concert but directed strict adherence to noise norms, capping sound levels at 75 decibels. Following continued complaints, authorities eventually stopped granting permissions for large events at Sector 34. Subsequent attempts to shift events - including a concert by AP Dhillon to Sector 25 - saw limited interest from organisers, highlighting the need for a more suitable venue. Officials said Sarangpur was identified as the most viable site due to its peripheral location and vast open spaces, which reduce the likelihood of traffic congestion and parking issues compared to densely populated sectors. The location is expected to allow smoother crowd dispersal and better event management....