Sector 14 residents oppose conversion of park into waste-to-wonder museum

Residents of sectors 14 and 17 reiterated that they are opposed to the conversion of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Park into a waste-to-wonder museum, an initiative being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), ahead of a hearing in the Punjab and Haryana high court on June 29.

They said that concretisation work might destroy greenery and besides, thousands of residents who use this park in the morning and evening for exercise and recreation would have no other place to turn to as this is the only large park in the vicinity.

Residents said that the park remained closed till June 4 this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and around 50% of the greenery was affected, with several trees cut.

Residents approached the Punjab and Haryana high court for relief in the last week of May, after a complaint submitted by the residents’ welfare association (RWA) of Sector 14 at the CM Window, two months ago, failed to elicit a response from the authorities. The petition was accepted by the high court on June 4 and arguments are set to be heard on June 29.

HS Nanda, a resident of Sector 14, who has served as the RWA presidents in the past, said that the park was developed by Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and has been used by residents for the last three decades, as it is the only green area near their homes.

“This park was transferred to MCG in August 2020 for maintenance and due to lockdown, the entry to park was stopped. Residents, however, were shocked when suddenly work on the waste-to-wonder museum started without even asking for suggestions from people living in the area. Large-scale construction is taking place, with metal and concrete structures that will change the character of this green space,” said Nanda.

The three-decade-old park is located in the heart of the city and is one of the city’s most popular green spaces. It has areas for walking, jogging, physical exercises, yoga, karate, gymnastics, a play area for children, sandpits for athletes and badminton space, said residents.

Residents said that the park was developed by HSVP from the external development charges collected from around 3,000 families living in sectors 14 and 17.

“There is a large industrial area just across the road. This park saved us from the heat and pollution of the industrial units and the heavily used roads around these sectors over the years,” said Pradip Sinha, a resident of Sector 14..

Residents also took aim at the MCG for not consulting them about the project and said that officials have failed to provide a satisfactory response to their queries.

When asked about the matter, Mukesh Ahuja, the newly appointed commissioner of MCG said that he would look into the grievances of the residents. “I will certainly look into it,” he said.

Nanda said that the museum was being developed on the lines of a similar project in New Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan, but it was important to know that the land used in Delhi was an arid landfill while the land in Gurugram is a fully-developed park.

Dinesh Agarwal, a resident of Sector 14, however, said that there should be no compromise on the greenery of the park and the project should be developed in a manner that the visitor experience does not get affected. “This could be a landmark development, provided the trees are not cut and people can use the park as before,” he said.

Nanda said that residents are hopeful of getting relief from the high court on the issue.