Hubballi’s Rs 4.2 crore toy train lies idle at Indira Glass House Park

Hubballi: When much is being talked about the lack of attractive amusement facilities in Hubballi, especially for children, the much-hyped toy train has not been chugging for a long time, and it has faded from people's memory itself. In such a situation, efforts to repair it and make it operational have not yet yielded full results, though assurances are repeatedly given.

Toy train was not a new thing at Indira Glass House Park (MG Park), but it later became defunct. In 2022, a new toy train at a cost of Rs 4.2 crore under the 'Smart City' mission was introduced, while giving a facelift to the park, to make it a major tourist attraction. However, the train derailed on its inaugural run itself when Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, then MLA Jagadish Shettar and other dignitaries were travelling in it.

The air-conditioned toy train with both front and back engines was expected to be a major source of attraction for the visitors to the park, which is the major lung-space at the heart of the City. However, technical glitches marred, and the toy train did not move. Though it was later repaired, and ran for a few months, it again developed problem and stopped moving, resulting in further damage to it.

By then, a lot of criticism had been raised about the quality of works executed at Indira Glass House Park. Puzzle parking developed at a cost of Rs 4.59 crore could get only a few vehicles. Musical fountain developed spending Rs 4.67 crore could not get the expected number of visitors. Though puzzle parking and musical foundation are functioning, toy train has still remained defunct, when the repair works to make it operational have not yet yielded full results.

The parked toy train is covered with a tarpaline, and a security guard is also deputed. Though some programmes take place at Indira Glass House, and considerable number of people visit the park during rare occasions like festival holidays, toy train fails to pull their attention, while some feel pity about its condition.

According to the officials of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), which receives Rs 11 lakh per year from the agency maintaining the park, the number of visitors to the park is very less, and they blame the dust menace and traffic congestion caused by the flyover construction.

Though the civic body is trying to get the toy train repaired and officials are assuring to run it in just a few days, the assurance has remained unfulfilled.

HDMC Commissioner Rudresh Ghali, who had made an assurance on record during the HDMC's general body meeting more than a fortnight ago that the toy train would be operational in two days, now says that the front engine is repaired, and the back one is being repaired.

"We have terminated the earlier contractor. One who repairs the engines has to come from Delhi. While the front engine is ready, the back one is being repaired. Steps would be taken to operate the toy train in a couple of days. Awareness would be raised about the facilities available," Ghali added.