atna, April 25: Parks are meant for kids to play in, elderly citizens to enjoy their evenings and for professionals as well as homemakers to unwind after a hard day at work. But unfortunately most of the green patches in the city have turned into dumpyards over the years. But the worst appears to be over. Patnaites will get back their rightful breathing space with the urban development department launching a drive for renovating the parks.
The children’s park at Sri Krishna (SK) Puri had been lying neglected for years. With no fencing and rides for kids, children of Boring Road and SK Puri areas hardly felt like visiting the park. Nor did their parents prefer to take a stroll along its broken walkways.
The preferred destination of the morning-walkers of Boring Road and SK Puri areas was Patna zoo, around 2.5km away. The reasons were obvious — ditches and garbage in the neighbourhood park.
But the scene has started changing. If all goes well, kids will be back to SK Puri Park. Elderly citizens have started revisiting the lungs of the locality with renovation work under way.
The ditches have been filled with earth. Walkways have been repaired. A boundary wall has been erected. Garden lights, too, have been installed in places.
Sprawling over 2 acres, Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam (BRPNN) is the caretaker of the park. According to sources, the nigam has outsourced the job of renovating the park to a private agency. The renovation is estimated to cost around Rs 2-2.5 crore.
“As much as Rs 40 lakh has been spent for fencing and setting up benches. The lighting cost us Rs 30 lakh. The levelling of the park has been done and artificial grass will be grown after the rains. Saplings will also be planted at various spots,†said a nigam official.
After the renovation of the park is over, fresh tenders would be floated to invite private players to maintain the park. A nominal entry fee would also be introduced.
“The entry fee of the park will be either Rs 2 or Rs 5. It will be decided later. There will be caretakers and a park in-charge. They will be under our supervision,†the nigam official said.
Morning-walkers expressed happiness over the changing face of the park. “This is the only park in the Boring Road-SK Puri area. For several years, it remained neglected and garbage was dumped here. Few people still came here for jogging but the experience was pathetic. I am happy that the government has finally woken up from its slumber and decided to do something about it. We need green lungs like these in an otherwise concrete jungle,†said Neeraj Janvenu, a freelance writer.
Chandrashekhar Kumar, a retired government employee, who was doing yoga in the park, said he was happy with the changes.
But just the efforts of the nigam will not be enough to reclaim the park. The residents of the areas should actively participate in its upkeep. After all, it is their property.