Development is possible only when it is driven by the community and Pandurangapuram Park stands out as an example.
The Pandurangapuram Residents’Welfare Association was formed just over a year ago, and it has successfully roped in not only the residents but also VUDA to contribute and develop a theme-based park with all amenities to serve the interest of residents of all ages.
The park on 70 cents of land, adjacent the Camp Office of Vice Chairman Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority, has long been an ignored place, but after the residents got together, it has taken shape, and today it has facilities that make it an envy for bigger locations. It has a play area, open air gym, musical fountain, green lawns, gazebo and a library and gym, among others.
The residents together contributed Rs. 64.35 lakh and VUDA Rs. 33 lakh towards the development of the park. The VUDA brought in its expertise in horticulture and provided some equipment, while the residents paid for the construction of the building that houses the reading room, gym and others.
“The library-reading room and gym have been developed to meet a long-standing demand of the residents, however, it has been given conditional approval to ensure that it does not become a precedent to encroach upon the public space,” Vice-Chairman of VUDA T. Baburao Naidu explained at a media conference held along with representatives of the PRWA at the Park on Thursday. Chief adviser of PRWA Peda Veerraju, president R Ramam, vice presidents M Usha Raju, A.K. Gopala Reddy, secretary Y Sanyasi Naidu, treasurer G.V. Ramjee and others were present.
All efforts have been made to develop the park as a model park with solar power panels and theme-based development that would address requirement of visitors of all ages, the Vice-Chaiman said.
The VUDA and the residents are planning to invite Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to unveil the plaque of the park that has been named ‘NTR Model Park’. The park being a first of its kind community-department initiative, there are lot of challenges to be addressed and course corrections before it becomes fully replicable, the VUDA chief explained.
