Public parks of the city, the only affordable sources for recreation of the people particularly families, have nothing much to offer this summer as most of the paraphernalia and facilities have been in bad shape since long.
The Rajiv Gandhi Park near Pandit Nehru Bus Station, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Raghavaiah Park on M.G. Road and Dr. K.L. Rao Park in K.L. Rao Nagar are considered the city’s biggest commercial parks owned and maintained by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). However, the defunct paraphernalia and facilities in ruins tell it all about the utter negligence of authorities concerned.
Rajiv Gandhi Park’s toy train, mini zoo, games parlour are out of order and a major part of the Raghavaiah Park is inaccessible with the rope bridge over the Bandar Canal being closed since years.
Beautification
“This was the city’s largest park with a lot of scope for development. Unfortunately, this has reduced to a mini park and most of the infrastructure here have been languishing in neglect since long. The government must focus on the parks which are meant to be lung spaces instead of spending all its resources on beautification of the city. The only good thing is a few amusement rides have been installed,” A. Jagadiswara Rao, a visitor of Rajiv Gandhi Park, said.
K.L. Rao Park which has a boating channel is also in bad shape and the visitors are disappointed at the poorly maintained playing equipment and facilities.
Contractors wary
The VMC, which cites lack of funds as the major constraint, it did not even ensure that maintenance and repair works were carried so that some of the non-functioning equipment were restored.
While the corporation is unable to provide funds of a few lakhs of rupees to carry out the repairs, no contractors are coming forward to take up the works unless the payment is made in advance, according to sources.
“We have been maintaining the parks in all possible ways with the funds available. Greenery has been developed in most of the parks,” J. Jyothi , Assistant Director of Horticulture, VMC, said.
The government is spending crores of rupees to develop a park under the Kankadurga Flyover on a war footing ahead of an international sporting event.
