Months after pool opens, swimmers remain shut out

Inaugurated in February 2012, it still awaits clearances

It was inaugurated with much fanfare in February 2012 ahead of the municipal polls. However, residents are still waiting to make a splash in Majlis Park swimming pool as the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has failed to operationalise it after it was inaugurated.

The pool was to be made operational in summer 2012, but it seems residents will have to wait till next summer. “The standard answer of officials over the last one year has been that it would be operationalised soon. The issue has been raised even in the standing committee and House meetings of the corporation, but nothing seems to have made an impact,” said leader of opposition Mukesh Goel.

The swimming pool was conceived and constructed by the community services department of the unified MCD at a cost of Rs 69 lakh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Neelam Budhiaraja too raised the issue in the last House meeting of the corporation.

“Residents in my ward regularly ask about the pool. Officials said they are yet to start work on it due to lack of parking space outside the pool. It is surprising as none of the pools that are in operation have dedicated parking lots,” said Budhiraja.

Police nod awaited

Sources in the corporation, however, said Majlis Park swimming pool is yet to get the green signal from Delhi Police and get its water sample tested.

“A pool needs to have five mandatory clearances. Lifeguard has been hired and water supply has been ensured from tubewells. The health department has also given the NOC. But permission from the area DCP is yet to be taken, and testing of water sample of the tubewell has not been done so far,” said an official.

Apart from Majlis Park pool, the North Corporation has five other swimming pools in Rohini, Keshavpuram, Shalimar Bagh, Prashant Vihar and Kacha Bagh.

Lack of services

Corporation officials said there have been regular complaints of lack of adequate services at most of the pools.

“One of the most frequent complaints has been that water supply has been affected as the motors don’t function. If the services cannot be provided in summer, what is their use?” said a BJP councillor.

The corporation provides swimming pool facilities for six months — April to September.