Cornered in the playgrounds of the elite

Bengaluru City’s population has crossed the one-crore mark, according to latest census data. In trying to accommodate the growing population, the haphazard expansion of the City has left its lung spaces choked. While on the one hand, several new localities are coming up with little or no space for parks and playgrounds, on the other, the existing open spaces are often a bone of contention between different sections of people.

A look around one's own locality would throw up plenty of such instances. Parks and playgrounds often end up as sites for makeshift homes, temples, parking spaces and are even used as venues of functions. Further, there is a tussle for whatever little is left of the encroached space as joggers, walkers, cricket camps, and schoolchildren compete for the place.

Perhaps, schoolchildren and senior citizens are the worst hit. These two instances would explain their plight: The first, is that of one of the oldest slums in the City, Ragigudda slum. The colony has encroached half of a park in JP Nagar. The slum dwellers have not only built their homes inside the park, there are also several petty shops bordering the park.

One side of the park is used for defecation too. In spite of the Slum Development Board constructing houses for this community, several slum dwellers continue to stay here. There is also an abandoned temple inside this park. Senior citizens here said they are unable to make use of the park as the entire place has been taken over by the slum dwellers.

The second instance is that of the ground opposite to Ranga Shankara. One fourth of the ground has been converted into an unofficial parking lot. People working in the surrounding offices and the nearby schools park their vehicles here. There is a temple too. This ground is the only space available for sports for several schools in the locality. The ground also hosts a cricket coaching centre and is used by locals for various other sports. School teachers who bring their students here have to be on high alert to ensure that none of them is hit by vehicles inside the ground.

Open function halls

Some grounds double up as function venues and are left littered after the event. This makes maintenance a huge challenge. Nasir Khan, a scrap dealer who lives near Akkithimanahalli playground next to Karnataka Hockey Stadium in Langford Town, pointed out: "On a number of occasions, I have noticed 'pandals' being erected for various functions. After these programmes get over, the ground is littered and none bothers to clean the place.” Banappa Park near Corporation Bank Circle also sees a number of meetings and processions on its premises, sidelining residents who want some tranquility.

These instances indicate that the open spaces are grossly disproportionate with the city’s population. There are only around 150 playgrounds and over 1000 parks under the BBMP limits.

Private - public conflict

Some playgrounds have been leased out by the BBMP to private entities who do not allow access to the public, a discomforting situation that has time and again caused conflicts. A playground near Cox Town had been leased back in 1949 to Clarence High School, following which the school used it exclusively for its own purposes.

There has been a tussle between the BBMP and the school as the Palike wanted its space back. The local resident welfare associations too have been protesting that they are deprived of the ground. However, school principal, Dr Jerry George Mathew, says the issue had been sorted out. “We have been following all terms and conditions of the lease agreement right from the early days,” she claims. 

Parks face a similar problem too. Unable to maintain the parks, the BBMP has handed over the maintenance to private individuals in several places. Residents are at the mercy of the private entities as sometimes the parks are locked according to the whims of the private entity incharge of maintenance.

Not yours, nor theirs

While all parks under BBMP are maintained by its horticulture department, one is not exactly sure who is in charge of maintenance of playgrounds. While some officials from the department claim that the horticulture department is also in charge of playground maintenance, others say that it falls under the jurisdiction of each zonal chief engineer.

The Estate department of the BBMP has compiled a list of parks and playgrounds in the City. However for anyone to obtain the information, he/she has to apply for a copy of the official gazette in which the information has been published, says B K Srinivas Murthy, Assistant Commissioner, Estate. "We are only responsible for maintaining a record and registry," he adds.