Ludhiana: Parks in Cheema Chowk area victim of MC neglect
Despite Cheema Chowk being a significant commercial hub and part of Ludhiana’s green belt, its parks remain in a deplorable state due to the absence of dedicated staff and proper maintenance.
Despite Cheema Chowk being a significant commercial hub and part of Ludhiana’s green belt, its parks remain in a deplorable state due to the absence of dedicated staff and proper maintenance. The area around Cheema Chowk has seven parks which are currently overgrown with tall grass, broken pavements, and lack of surveillance, making it unusable by the residents.
Former Congress councillor Navneet Singh Ghail pointed out that since the municipal corporation (MC) house was adjourned, there is no one responsible for maintaining these parks.
According to him, while some parks, such as the one on the right side of RK Road, are being voluntarily maintained by Arun Gas Company, others are left without any caretakers.
He further said that because Cheema Chowk is an industrial area, companies remained interested in maintaining certain parks as part of their advertising strategy, displaying banners and hoardings. However, there is no one to hold them accountable as they are volunteering to take care of it, charging no money.
Meanwhile, due to lack of surveillance, these parks are a haven for miscreants such as drunkards, gamblers and drug addicts, presenting a picture of distaste for locals.
Sanjay Kumar, a local shop owner from ward 31, highlighting the issue asserted, “Earlier, gardeners would come every 15 to 20 days to maintain the trees and grass. But since the advent of monsoon, the condition of these parks has worsened.”
Municipal corporation horticulture wing junior engineer Kirpal Singh explained that there are 892 parks in Ludhiana, of which 665 are maintained by park management committees (PMCs). The remaining parks are looked after voluntarily by residents as per the plan chalked out by the municipal corporation in January 2024.
Singh acknowledged that due to limited manpower in the horticulture department, relying on voluntary efforts helps ease the burden.
Notably, municipal corporation has allocated a budget of over ₹5.5 crore for the current financial year.