When parks are out of reach...

Closed Gates

In Bangalore, which takes pride in being called the Garden City, it is ironic how people have difficulty finding a park where they can go for a stroll.

While the advantage of a residential park is that you don’t have to walk long distances to find one, in this city, many of these parks are closed down for most part of the day.   

“There is a beautiful park, off MG Road, called Cariappa Memorial Park. On the gate, there is a notice saying that it is open in the mornings and late afternoons. I have never seen it open in the last four years. I went there recently and sure enough, the gates were locked,” says Kanishka Lahiri, a professional.

This is the case with many residential parks in the City. “The parks in my area are open only early in the morning and late in the evening. So during the weekends, when I am free, I can’t take my children to the park in the afternoons,” says Latha D, a microbiologist, who lives in Peenya.

“There is one park near 16th Cross but it opens only in the evening,” says Bharath C, a resident of Malleshwaram. “Almost all the parks in Koramangala are closed during the day except for one but reaching there itself takes a 20-minute walk,” says Shravni, a professional.

Closed parks are a common sight in Bangalore and they are convenient only for some people. “The park timing is meant only for the working population and the school children. It affects certain sections of the population like homemakers, who are free only after 11 am, and people like the construction workers who have nowhere to go in the afternoons,” says Kavita Krishnamoorthy, head of Kilikili, which works towards providing open spaces for children to play.

There are also complaints that these spaces cannot be used for purposes like playing. “All the playgrounds in my area have been converted into parks which look pretty from outside but can’t be used for playing,” complains Rohan, a school student who lives in ISRO Layout.

Surprisingly, it is the residents who are responsible for the timing. “The timing is made by the BBMP but it is done because of pressure from the residents who feel that a park is a community property and they need to protect it from vandalism. But a park is for the general community and its genuine use is negated by rules like these,” says Kavita.

Many others agree. “I think parks should be open the entire day,” says Bharath. “And proper resources should be allocated for ensuring security,” says Kanishka. “If not the entire week, they can at least keep it open on weekends,” says Latha.