How to keep parks in Bengaluru open for longer hours and also safe, debate residents
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The move to keep city parks open for 17 hours has been welcomed by many. But there is also a flip side to it, which needs to be seriously addressed, say residents
On April 18 this year, a 46-year-old man stabbed his female friend to death minutes before he was killed by the mother of the woman at Sarakki Park in J.P. Nagar. The incident left the residents around and regular visitors to the park in shock.
Less than two months after the incident, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced on June 11 that all 1,200 neighbourhood parks in Bengaluru will remain open for 17 hours a day — from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. — on all days.
Many welcome move
This move has been welcomed by people who need the public spaces to rest, such as gig workers like food delivery personnel or daily wagers in construction and other sectors. Many fitness enthusiasts and regular walkers are also happy with the move. But with the increasing crime rates in the city, and lack of staff and facilities in parks, the move to open parks for longer hours has raised concerns about safety.
On his part, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to fix dysfunctional streetlights in all parks and on roads. Authorities had also fixed cameras at the entrances of all parks, he said.
But is that enough? Residents, former civic authorities and environmentalists fear that the extension of the park timings could raise concerns and cause problems for residents around the parks.
Concrete bricks occupy most of Bipin Rawat Freedom Park at Padmanabha Nagar in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit:
BHAGYA PRAKASH K
For neighbours
Speaking to The Hindu, Suresh Kumar, a resident of Jayanagar, who lives opposite one among the many lines of parks on R.V. Road, says that the extension of park timings is only going to add to the existing nuisance and unsafe environment. “I have lived here all my life, and in a city that is growing drastically, we are privileged to live right in front of a park. However, there are some visitors who get food and liquor into the park and litter the area,” he says. Suresh adds that at times there are people screaming, shouting or even playing music on speakers. “There are many schools and colleges around, and we have noticed that students come here and get into fights, minors indulge in intimate acts, as parks are the only place where they get some privacy”, he added.
He said that these parks do not have CCTV cameras or security guards who go around the park round the clock. “Extending the timings of the park will only add to the existing nuisance, and may create newer problems,” Suresh argues.
Need for 24/7 surveillance
Meanwhile Gangambike Mallikarjun, the 52nd and former Mayor of Bengaluru, says extension of park timings is a risky move. “There was never a demand to extend timing of parks during my tenure. I do not know why this demand has arisen now. It is not easy to monitor so many parks for 17 long hours. This is a very risky move. One security guard in a park can not keep an eye on every activity happening at the park. If the BBMP wants to continue with this, they must have more security staff or at least seek the help of the city police to patrol in and around the parks, especially during the early morning and night hours,” she says.
Gangambike said that the BBMP had begun installing CCTV cameras at parks during her tenure. “I do not think it was taken forward after that. There is an immediate need to install CCTV cameras at all parks. However, what is more important is that the CCTV cameras must be monitored 24/7, with a good number of staff working from a control room or under the police,” she added.
Laksmikanta Park at Padmanabha Nagar in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit:
K BHAGYA PRAKASH
Residents must get responsible
Offering another point of view, Anuradha Rao, a member of South Bangalore Creative Commune, a group of residents from J.P. Nagar that looks at solving issues through creative means, said it is the responsibility of the residents to make the park and its surroundings safe. “Mini Forest, one among the largest parks in Bengaluru, is quite safe due to the efforts put in by the residents around the park. One can not depend on civic bodies like the BBMP to think of our safety and keep track of the maintenance of parks. Even if there is a need for change of a bulb, residents of J.P. Nagar constantly follow up with the BBMP and their MLA, and make sure the parks are well maintained.”
She further said that the community also makes sure to make space for street vendors. “They do light up the surroundings of the parks, but also keep an eye on whatever is happening in the park. Residents around parks across the city should come forward and take responsibility. This way people are safe in the parks no matter what time of the day it is,” she added.
No safety plan yet: BBMP
On being asked what safety measures have been taken by the civic body, Chandrashekhar M.R., Deputy Director of BBMP’s Horticulture Department, said that the initiative is still new, and the civic body is trying to understand what problems could be caused by the parks being opened for longer hours. “We have a security routine at parks called ‘watch and ward’, this means that security guards are given accommodation within the park, they stay there and look after the parks. Their job is to go around and make sure things are doing well during the open hours, now we have extended their working hours based on the new timings”, Chandrashekhar said.
The Deputy Director adds that most BBMP parks do not have CCTV cameras, and that monitoring is quite difficult on cameras. “We have members of resident welfare associations who tell us when something requires our attention. There are surveillance cameras in the entry and exit gates of some parks and cameras installed by the Bengaluru police on almost every street. If needed we use their help,” he added.
“We do not yet know what the consequences or benefits of the extension can be. So, we still do not have a plan for safety. While 90% of people are happy with the park timings being opened, 10% of them are finding issues,” said Chandrashekhar.
BBMP Park and Children Playground at 6th Block, Koramangala in Bangalore.
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K
Will the move affect birds?
Would extension of hours parks are to be kept open affect urban widlife?
Raghavendra B. Pachhapur, a naturalist, birder, and Senior Lead Projects, ActionAid Association, said that the older parks in Bengaluru are a perching spot for most birds in Bengaluru. All the birds follow a dawn and dusk method, that is leave in the morning and come back by night.
“Most of these birds come back and start roosting around 6-7 p.m. If the parks continue to be open till 10 p.m, with the park lights and streetlights on, people walking around, making noises and all other kinds of activities happening, this will disturb the roosting time of the birds. We already have very less green space. Eventually, the birds will move elsewhere, and this could affect the entire ecosystem of Bengaluru in some way or the other. Urbanistion is going beyond board in the city, and a move like this is not conducive for wildlife”, Pachhapur added.
Piklihal prehistoric site
Piklihal, a later prehistoric and historic site in the cluster of hillocks, is located five km away from the Mudgal Fort. The excavations at Piklihal conducted by British archaeologist Raymond Allchin in 1952 have extensively contributed to the understanding of the development of agriculture and shepherd communities from hunter-gatherers.
Ashokan edict of Maski
Maski, a historic town where a famous minor rock edict of Emperor Ashok was found, is 28 km from Mudgal Fort. Devanampiye and Piyadasi were the two names/ titles that were widely referred to in ancient inscriptions. The Pali inscription etched in Brahmi script in Maski convincingly declared for the first time that Devanampiye was Mouryan Emperor Ashoka.
Association with the Prophet
The Mudgal Fort houses a tomb which the devotees believe is one of the “resting places” of Prophet Muhammad. It is said that Prophet’s nail and hair strands are preserved in the tomb. The grave is normally covered with green cloth throughout the year except during Muharram festivities. “We the cloth during Muharram,” Gulam Mustafa, the caretaker of the tomb says.
Wrestling arena or Garadi
The Mudgal Fort has a small wrestling arena, which is locally called Garadi, which resembles an indoor stadium of the present time. The square-shaped arena is completely covered by four side walls and a roof which had some openings for ventilation and light. The arena has a spectators’ gallery with seating arrangements for around 20 people to watch the wrestling. The arena is presently abandoned. Thorny bushes are grown around it and the entrance is filled with garbage and plastic waste.
Pushkarani for multiple uses
The fort also had an intricate water management system. Several wells and tanks are still in usable condition. The Pushkarani, a tank which was used for water storage for the consumption of fort dwellers in medieval times is inaccessible as it is completely buried in jali shrubs at present. It is said that the pond was used for cleaning war elephants and horses.
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