The city has been witnessing a burgeoning real estate industry over the years with an increasing number of apartment complexes coming up in every nook and cranny.
With more number of persons, especially those from the IT sector, opting for such residential facilities, the importance of play areas for children cannot be ignored.
But, do all such complexes provide ample space for the need as promised in the attractively-designed brochures circulated by the builders?
The reality speaks otherwise with most apartments having no recreational space for children. The situation existed despite there being norms in place for such requirements.
A few luxury apartments in the city are known to have reserved adequate spaces for children to engage in fun and games. According to prominent builder K. Srikant, there has been an increased demand for additional facilities provided in residential complexes.
“Apartments here are planned as more user-oriented than those in other cities including Mumbai. As a result, such features are being provided depending on the size of the project. Playing spaces, which included various play equipments such as swings, slides and seesaws, are ensured within the ambit of our projects. We have also established crèches in certain complexes for children aged below 3 years. As a result, we have ensured recreational spaces for all age groups right from the tiny tots,” he said.
However, the same could not be said for most other complexes in the city. C.S. Vinod, the president of the Apartment Owners Association Kerala, said there had been several instances where builders had hoodwinked customers.
“Spaces for recreation are usually included in the project proposals and plans while submitting to the local body concerned. However, upon receiving approval and registration for the building, such areas are converted for other purposes such as parking. Nearly 90 per cent of the apartments in Thiruvananthapuram do not possess such facilities,” he claimed.
The lack of adequate play areas threatened to impede the mental development of children and thereby, pave the way for far-reaching repercussions, say child psychiatrists.
Expert speak
Child psychiatrist T.V. Anil Kumar recommended a play time of not less than an hour per day for ensuring the total development — both psychological and physical — of the child. “Studies have shown that inactivity could result in slow development of the brain. This could lead to various problems for children including lack of focus, obesity, boredom, memory loss and an inability to cope up with adversities. A situation in which children were addicted to the television and other gadgets would also hinder them the opportunity to develop their interpersonal skills,” Dr. Kumar said.
