Chandigarh, July 2 -- To bring large-scale concerts and exhibitions back to the city, the UT administration has decided to operationalise a trial event venue at Sarangpur, with a 'tribal mela' by TRIFED, a national-level organisation under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in October. The move comes after several high-profile concerts shifted to neighbouring cities due to venue constraints and traffic disruptions in central sectors. Officials said around 8-10 acres of land, opposite India Reserve Battalion in Sarangpur, will be used on a pilot basis, with plans to expand the facility in phases depending on response and feasibility. The administration is preparing the ground with temporary infrastructure, including mobile washrooms, parking zones and emergency exits. The trial phase will host events for 5,000-8,000 people, while the long-term plan envisions accommodating gatherings of up to 20,000 attendees. Officials said the pilot will help assess crowd management, traffic flow, parking logistics and emergency response systems before moving ahead with a permanent concert-cum-exhibition centre. The Sarangpur facility is part of a larger 25-acre project planned by the UT administration. While the full-scale project is expected to take around six months once executed, work is yet to receive environmental clearance. The tribal melas, often organised as part of initiatives like 'Aadi Mahotsav' or Tribal Artisan Melas, provide a platform for tribal artisans from across the country to showcase and sell their products, while also promoting indigenous culture and traditions. The proposed event in Chandigarh is expected to feature stalls, cultural performances and direct interaction between artisans and buyers. The decision to develop Sarangpur follows repeated traffic snarls and public complaints during major concerts in central sectors, particularly Sector 34. Events in December 2024, including performances by popular Punjabi artists, had triggered severe congestion and noise concerns. Residents had even approached the Punjab and Haryana high court, which allowed events with strict noise limits but flagged the need for better regulation. Subsequently, authorities curtailed permissions for large gatherings in central areas. Attempts to shift events to other sectors, such as Sector 25, saw limited success, prompting the administration to identify Sarangpur as a more viable alternative due to its peripheral location and open spaces....