BBMP extends timings of public parks

Citizens had been protesting for a change in timings of parks saying that closing them down after 10 denied people the only free public access spaces to rest.

The Bruhat Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru’s municipal authority, on Tuesday extended the public access timings of parks across the city, following protests by citizens.

The new timings, however, will not be applicable to lakes in the city. (HT Photo)

According to the order issued by BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Giri Nath on Tuesday, parks will now remain open to the public from 5 am to 8 pm every day, except between 10 am to 1.30 pm when maintenance work will be carried out. Earlier, parks in the city were open only between 6 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 7 pm.

The new timings, however, will not be applicable to lakes in the city.

Citizens had been protesting for a change in timings of parks saying that closing them down after 10 denied people the only free public access spaces to rest.

According to the BBMP, there are 1,118 parks under its jurisdiction. The remaining are run by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). Two of the city’s biggest and most popular parks — Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh — are maintained by the state’s horticulture department. Only these two parks are open throughout the day, but they are at centrally-located, away from most residential areas.

BBMP commissioner Nath said “Taking into requests from various Resident Welfare Associations and walking groups, we have decided to extend the timings.”

“It is not possible to keep the parks open throughout the day, since it is not possible to clean them in the early morning or late evening hours. Now, we have given the staff two and a half hours in the morning for cleaning. In the circular, we have informed all officers to adhere to the new timings,” he said.

Manjunath Gowda, who delivers groceries for an app-based company, said going back to rest and eat at his home in the day was not possible. “I generally pack my food when I go out to work. During the deliveries, especially during the summers, we need some place where we can eat and get some rest. It is not possible to get to my room every time because deliveries are across the city. Parks are our only option,” he said.

Speaking about excluding lakes from the new timings, Nath said: “Lakes, unlike parks, have ecological needs such as the bird population there and the maintenance time is higher as well. So, this new order will be restricted to parks.”

Meanwhile, the BBMP has finished renovated one of Bengaluru’s most iconic protest venues, Gandhi Park, near Maurya Circle with an automated watering system and a gazebo with a sitting area. The renovation cost ₹1.23 crore, said the BBMP commissioner.

Elaborating on the renovation, Nath said the central theme was “Ashwath Katte (Peepal trees, often referred to as Sacred Fig, with either a shrine under them or a large platform around them (or both)”.

“Ashwath Kattes were a common sight in some parts of Bengaluru, and are usually a good indication that the neighbourhood was originally a village. Trees, especially banyan and pipal, have been culturally important in the city’s culture often acting as a glue for a community,” said Nath.

“The Ashwath Kattes are an epicentre of sacred and social gatherings. People have been passing on this tradition to generations, even though the city has been expanding rapidly around them,” he added.

According to Nath, the modern “Katte” will be spread across 13,000 sq ft in the park. The space includes an amphitheatre, a gazebo and a working area, complete with LED lights and charging ports.

“The location had a number of ancient trees, so we wanted to create a public gathering space around them. We looked into design sensibilities prevalent in our vernacular architecture, and translated it to a modern context,” said Rahul Srikrishna, principal architect of The Hull, an architecture firm the BBMP collaborated with for the project.