The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Move to collect fee from walkers to be dropped

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Monday, Nov 09, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Move to collect fee from walkers to be dropped

Staff Reporter

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Up in arms: Members of the Joggers and Walkers’ Association during a meeting with Director of Horticulture Department N. Jayaram at Lalbagh in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: The proposal to introduce an annual fee for walkers in Lalbagh Botanical Gardens has been dropped by the Horticulture Department in the face of opposition by walkers and general public alike. However, the department will be introducing identity card for the walkers by February 2010.

The department had proposed to introduce an annual fee of Rs. 200 for walkers and Rs. 100 children under the age of 12, citing security reasons. “We have decided not to introduce the annual fee. However, for the sake of security within the gardens, we will issue identity cards to the walkers,” Horticulture Director N. Jayaram told presspersons here on Sunday after meeting hundreds of walkers at the famed Glass House.

Over 3,000 walkers use Lalbagh daily, and this was the third attempt to introduce entrance fee by the department that had earlier attempted in 2003 and 2006. On both the occasions, the proposal had been withdrawn following public outcry. The introduction of entrance fee has been approved by the Suvarna Karnataka Udyanavanagala Pratisthana, which manages all the big parks including Lalbagh, Cubbon Park and others in the State.

Stating that identity cards would be compulsory to gain entry to the gardens, Mr. Jayaram said: “It may take about to 30 to 40 days to issue the card. Cards would be made compulsory once it is issued to 60 to 70 per cent of walkers. We will announce the new system shortly.” Clarifying that the move was not to generate revenue, he said: “We would have collected only about Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh by charging the fee. This amount does not play a vital role in the maintenance of the garden.”

Confusion

Earlier, confusion prevailed for a while after some walkers opposed those who welcomed the introduction of the fee. Subsequently, they also did not allow the Horticulture Director to present his case, and the meeting ended abruptly.

During the meeting at Glass House, a majority of walkers criticised the department’s move to introduce the fee while a handful of them welcomed it. Those who opposed it said instead of levying the fee, the park administration should take action to check dog menace, construct public toilets and increase the security for walkers at Lalbagh. Those who supported the move felt that it would bring discipline.

Lalbagh Walkers Association president P. Sadashiv told The Hindu that the walkers welcomed the department’s decision to drop the proposal. “We have placed certain demands to improve amenities and are hopeful that the department will respond positively,” he added.

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