In a glaring civic paradox, while Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has approached Maharashtra Government seeking a staggering Rs 165 crore grant to develop and revamp 85 gardens under Phase-1 of an urban greening drive, the city’s existing 204 municipal parks languish in utter disrepair. Even as plans for developing 49 gardens and redeveloping 36 parks in ten zones are being made by the civic authorities, the condition of the parks across the city leaves no scope for doubt about their dilapidated condition.

 

Parks in areas like Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Hanuman Nagar, Gandhibagh, Mominpura and Mangalwari have deteriorated so badly that these community lungs are now mere wastelands choked with overgrown wild bushes and shrubs. Wherever there used to be manicured lawns, barren dust-bowl stretches are now there and whatever greenery remains in the parks has dried up for want of proper irrigation facilities provided by the Municipal Garden Department. Expressing the shabby condition of Neem Park in Friends Colony, Kirti Dhopte, a resident said, “Green Gyms created with public funds have become useless pieces of waste as a lot of equipments are rusted, cracked, and broken and several playgrounds equipment are lying loose from concrete bases and are damaged too in a garden near our house. In addition, lack of security guard, absence of street lighting and dried bore-wells has turned these neighbourhood enclave into havens for anti-social elements after dark.”

 

Acording to sources, only 70 gardens have security guards, rest of the 134 gardens have became a place for the miscreants to perform their anti-social activities after the dusk. Another garden in front of the homeless shelter in Timki area is in a dilapidated state. Since its construction, the garden has never been made fully operational for public use. According to local residents, both iron gates of the garden have been stolen. More than half of equipment including the swings and the ‘green gym’ has been taken. Residents report that due to lack of security, there are frequent complaints regarding drug use, alcohol consumption, and gambling.

 

Similarly, Manisha Kulkarni, a resident of Dharampeth area, remarked, “The children’s playground in our community garden has turned into a place for illegal activities. Rusted chains of swings and broken benches welcome visitors. It is high time that the municipal authority started looking after the basics in neighbourhood gardens rather than going after multicrore projects.” Residents has raised their voice against the anti-social activities and drying of plants in the gardens, yet there are no visible action.