A year after very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud ravaged the city, residents of the Railway New Colony worked hard and cleared the garbage that was accumulated on the premises of the municipal school in their colony and got themselves a usable lung space.
“The bonus was that we also got rid of the anti-social elements who found the school premises a haven for their nefarious activities. Today the school compound with a walking track along the boundary, a basketball court, two shuttle courts and a volleyball court are available for use of the residents from 5 to 8 in the morning and 5 to 8 in the evening. Thanks to IV Town Inspector, a police Rakshak team keeps a constant vigil to keep anti-social elements away,” V. Harinath, honorary president of Railway New Colony Walkers’ Association, has said.
The Kamala Nehru Municipal Girls High School in Railway New Colony is one of the oldest municipal schools and with a lot of open area. It also houses the GVMC Ward 31 office and a community hall on the first floor of the ward office, built in 2012 with the help of then MLA Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao.
T.S.R. Prasad, president of District Basketball Association and former Additional Superintendent of Police, helped establish a basketball court on the school premises. The association conducted a summer coaching camp on the premises.
The GVMC laid a walking track along the compound wall of the school. The basketball court and walking track were completed in February 2014 at a cost of Rs. 18 lakh and was awaiting a formal inauguration. Post-Hudhud, the school became a dumping yard for the debris making it a haven for anti-social elements, Charan Kavuru, another resident, has said.
Help assured
Railway New Colony residents formed a walkers’ association and elected its body with V. Harinath as honorary president.
The members of the association worked hard and cleared the debris from the school compound and also laid two shuttle courts and a volleyball court. They also planted saplings all along the boundary wall and a lawn. GVMC Commissioner Pravin Kumar, who visited the school premises, assured the residents necessary support to develop the grounds as there is no park in Railway New Colony and adjacent Subbalakshmi Nagar, says Mr. Harinath.
