Two sides of a coin: Hyderabad’s Indira Park is a study in contrast

One of the oldest parks in the city has some areas scenic and the others in a state of neglect.

A view of Indira Park

On warm summer days, if you walk into Indira Park you can almost divide the park into two sections — one that’s scenic and lush green and another that’s wanting in attention. One of the oldest parks in the city has gone through its good and not-so-good times, swinging between a state of neglect and some well intended efforts to spruce it up.

The park attracts morning and evening walkers from Ashok Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Domalguda and other areas of Lower Tank Bund. The park levies no entry fee for morning walkers and collects a modest ₹5 during the rest of the day.

A dedicated walking/jogging track runs around the 76-acre park, allowing walkers to stop by at the nursery, palmetum, living rock sanctuary, metal art installations, a lake with boating facility, rose garden and a shade garden.

The palmetum was set up in 2013 and today has 85 varieties of palms. The path is also dotted with animal sculptures in rock as part of living rock sanctuary.

The one that piques curiosity though is a line of large metal installations. Art in public space can be a game changer if done well. The installations could have a better connect with the visitors at the park if there were signboards detailing the name of the sculptor, metals used and the significance of the art work. Indira Park also features a rose garden and a shade garden, with the latter providing succour to plant species that need to be kept away from direct sunlight. Both the rose and shade gardens are well maintained, considering the harsh summer.

The park attracts families that want to spend some quiet time and take in fresh air on the lawns. At day break, one would find a host of bird species in the vicinity of these lawns.

These areas of Indira Park are a contrast to the boating facility and areas ahead of it that are dusty brown and can do with better maintenance.

The boating facility was mooted as an added attraction but as with several other water bodies in and around the city, a part of it is filled with hyacinth.

A skating facility for children adjacent to the park is a picture of fun and vigour in the evenings.

The centrally located park is a primary lung space in the Lower Tank Bund region. The new attractions added to the park in recent years have helped give visitors something more than a jogging track. A little more effort in maintenance is all that the park requires.