Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has plans to develop the Freedom Fighter’s Memorial Park on Narayan Shastri road in the city, at a cost of Rs 85 lakh.
Announcing this to a delegation of concerned citizens who met him at his office on Thursday, MCC Commissioner P G Ramesh said tenders had been invited for works at the cost of Rs 60 lakh under Chief Minister’s special grant of Rs 100 crore, while an additional Rs 25 lakh had been earmarked under the ward fund.
Earlier, the members of Citizen’s Committees Coordination Forum had planned to stage protest in front of the MCC over the development of the park.
They decided to drop their plans later, when the MCC officials offered to listen to their grievances.
During the meeting, H R Bapu Satyanarayana, a retired engineer and advisor to the forum, submitted a list of nine demands to Mayor N M Rajeshwari.
The demand list signed by as many as 550 citizens concerned highlighted the urgent measures to be taken up to infuse a new lease of life to the green space in the heart of the city.
The citizens explained that the underground drainage laid through the park may pose health hazards in the future. Measures should be taken to build a dedicated track for morning strollers and also to plant saplings to enhance the greenery of the park. Equal emphasis has to be given to the amusement for children visiting the park, by setting up a play arena.
Whenever it rains, water should be diverted from the basketball court, as, in the current situation the court turns into a deluge at the time of rainfall. The civic authorities have to prune the trees regularly, besides maintaining the park, making it free from weeds and shrubs.
Electric poles have to be installed in adequate numbers to ensure safety of the visitors, especially women. Also, the defunct swimming pool on the other side of the park has to be renovated and illegal activities in the park should be checked. A dedicated stage to host cultural programmes should be built, the list stated.