With the BDA, city life is no walk in the park
Why are Bengaluru’s parks closed during the day? Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, which double up as cultural venues on weekends, are the only sources of respite in a city that grows more congested every day. The authorities’ claim that this is done to keep out troublemakers simply doesn’t hold water with irate citizens and environmentalists alike.
It's Bengaluru’s own Hyde Park. If the English can spend their afternoons in the idyllic surroundings of their iconic park in the heart of London, Bengalureans have the luxury of doing the same in Cubbon Park. An idyllic oasis in the midst of the city’s humdrum life, it has over the last couple of yours become more than just a lung space. Reflecting the vibrancy of Bengaluru’s cultural life, it has become a become a bubbling potpourri of poets and poetry lovers, theatre aficionados and storytellers.
Parks are a public space, why are they locked during the day? What are the anti -social elements authorities talk about? How do you define one? A couple in love or a boy who bunks college and wants to hang out at a park? Or is it someone shabbily-dressed and looks like he is from a poor background? The real truth is middle class morality is at work. The BBMP and the RWA only reflect the fears of this class. The middle class claims it is open minded, but the harsh reality is this.
— Ekta Mittal, co–founder, Maraa
Janet Orlene, 25, a poet who has participated in over a dozen poetry readings here over the past two months, says, “For an artiste, the energy of the space is very different from what an absolutely manicured and paved place could offer. “Accessibility is another point in its favour. “It is a central point, and this is also why it is so popular. Also its doors are always open and you can stay as long as you want provided you don’t litter or mess around,” notes the young poetess.
Read | Guest column: Our authorities have destroyed Bengaluru’s public spaces
Lochan Baratakke, a musician who performs there every Sunday, says the breezy open space in the midst of nature is the stuff stage dreams are made of. “It has a connect to nature and that is why I love the place,” he reveals.
Built in 1870, it was first called Meade’s Park after Sir John Meade and later christened Cubbon Park, after Sir Mark Cubbon, the longest serving commissioner of the time. Occupying over 197 acres, the park brings together large and small natural rock outcrops, thick bamboo groves, motorable roads and footpaths for walkers and joggers.
There are two kinds of parks in our area. Some have round –the- clock security, are fenced and are kept closed between 10 am and 4 pm. Others have no fence or security guard and are kept open round- the- clock as there is no one to monitor them. People generally go to the parks for leisure. What’s the use if they are closed during the day?
— Sunanada Bhat, Malleswaram resident
In an effort to restore its serenity, park authorities prohibited vehicles inside on Sundays in May 2015. Mahantesh Murgod, Deputy Director of Horticulture, who is responsible for the park’s administration, says, “We realised what a disturbance it was for park goers to have vehicles inside. So last year, we stopped vehicles from entering on Sundays. It was a huge improvement. Now we have banned vehicles on every second Saturday too.”
Parks have round the clock security. Parks have round –the- clock security. But I don’t know the logic behind closing them for a few hours during the day. Sadly a few parks in West Bengaluru have become waste segregation centres! Why don't the authorities see to that instead?"
— Rama Kumar, resident, Gayathrinagar.
While citizens are free to use the park for various cultural sessions, larger corporate events are charged a fee. “If a group wants to hold an awareness programme, a storytelling session or poetry meet, we don’t charge them. We only charge organisers of walkathons and marathons as they often leave the premises worse than they found them in,” he adds. While it was a nominal fee, the tariff has been revised recently to Rs 25,000 because park authorities had to meet the expense of cleaning it after they had left it dirty. “ They also have to give us a prior notice of two weeks to hold such events,” he informs.
Parks haven for ‘anti-social elements’?
With more than BBMP 1,100 parks at the city's disposal, we struggles to find spaces like Cubbon Park that are open through the day. As most parks are shut during the day under the pretext of keeping anti social elements at bay, citizens miss out on lung spaces and also on potential cultural exchange that binds communities together.
If a park as big as that doesn't need to be locked at times when its broad daylight and we can actually go sit there and spend some time, can’t why other parks do it too?
— Smrithi Mannar, resident, Vasanth Nagar
Speaking to DC Mrs. Meenakshi, Chairperson, Horticulture Standing Committee of the BBMP said the parks are closed during the day because since they are used everyday, they need constant repair. “We keep them closed between 10 am and 4 pm for maintenance-related works. Adding to the woes, school children are the big nuisance. They enter the parks, break the plants and create problems. So, to ensure that parks are maintained properly we keep the parks.” Residents of an area generally do not turn up in these hours, she added.
The parks are too small to hold cultural events and we have a few regulations to follow, said an official from the Horticulture Department. “The ward parks are not large enough for these events. Also, if we allow them to be open at all times, we will receive complaints from the residents all the time about youngsters misbehaving in the park.” There are also pollution regulations we have to follow, she added.
"Cubbon Park's accessibility is what attracts its visitors and it seems to be well groomed. If a park as big as that doesn't need to be locked at times when its broad daylight and we can actually go sit there and spend some time, i don't see why the other parks need to do that." said Smrithi Mannar, a resident of Vasanth Nagar. "I've been a part of these events at Cubbon and its a great use of parks. Its an age old thought that they just need to be a place to go to during early mornings and evenings." she added.