Climbing trees, swinging on branches, carving on trees, cutting trees, plucking flowers and fruits, catching birds, attending nature calls, setting foliage on fire, sleeping on benches, steeling plants and electrical devises, smoking, consuming liquor... all kinds of nuisances inside the Cubbon Park will strictly be banned soon.
Those found creating nuisance will be fined in the range of Rs 50 to Rs 500. The Horticulture department has decided to impose a strict ban on all activities that harm the aesthetics of the historical park and to ensure security. To enforce the ban, a 24/7 security system will be put in place with 20 security men located at strategic locations.
The department is hiring the service of a private security agency for this purpose, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department (Cubbon Park) K G Jayadev said.
There are 19 entry and exit points to Cubbon Park which is spread across 192 acre in the heart of the City. Nearly 10,000 people visit the Park every day, besides around 5,000 walkers and joggers in the morning and the evening hours.
“Mischief-makers have been a big headache in the Park. They are not only causing damage to the Park but have become a pain in the neck for tourists and decent family crowds.
But the department is helpless as it is understaffed. Of nearly 300 gardeners working under the Cubbon Park jurisdiction, more than 200 are dedicated for regular maintenance and upkeep of gardens at Vidhana Soudha, Raj Bhavan and ministers’ official quarters. The rest of around 100 are hardly enough to maintain the Park, let alone ensuring security.
“Moreover, those who create trouble in the Park do not care for gardeners, who are mostly aged persons. Hence, the Government approved hiring private security agency. We want the agency to deploy only young men on job. The agency will be in place within a month’s time,” Jayadev stated.
Parking ban
Reckless parking of vehicles inside the Cubbon Park will also be banned soon. The vehicle owners have to park only at designated pay-and-park zones inside the Park -- in front of NGO hall, in front of Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Library, between Queen Elizabeth statue and BNSL office and on road between Ringwood Circle and Gazebo. “Those who park outside the designated areas will be fined,” the Deputy Director said.
Besides, the department has hiked the fee for long duration parking inside the Park. So far, the department used to charge a maximum of Rs 6 and Rs 10 to two-wheelers and four-wheelers respectively for parking more than three hours.
Now it has been revised. Owners of two-wheelers and four-wheelers, who park their vehicles for more than six hours, will have to pay Rs 9 and Rs 15 as parking fee.