Reality check: Arvindo Park suffers from official neglect

The park’s facilities are also in poor condition. The women’s restroom remains locked, the men’s toilet is poorly maintained, and the library remains inaccessible.

LUCKNOW: Arvindo Park in Sector 9 of Indira Nagar, a popular spot for leisure and activities with a daily footfall of over 150 visitors, is facing neglect by Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board officials.

Exposed wires at the Arvindo Park. (HT)

Safety hazards are rampant, with exposed electrical wires hanging from most light poles, especially dangerous during the monsoon season. Despite a recent tragedy where a 15-year-old boy was electrocuted in one of the park of the state capital, authorities have shown little concern, leaving visitors’ safety at risk.

The park’s facilities are also in poor condition. The women’s restroom remains locked, the men’s toilet is poorly maintained, and the library remains inaccessible.

Six shops at the park, built to serve the locals, have been vacant for years. An employee speculated that high rent demands and inconvenient locations deter potential business owners from leasing the spaces.

A ticket collector shared that monthly passes are sold for ₹100, while single-entry tickets cost ₹10. However, visitors are met with poorly maintained grounds and cleanliness is limited to the entrance, with garbage scattered throughout the park.

“I’ve recently been given charge and am unaware of the park’s ongoing issues,” said Shashank Pandey, executive engineer of Awas Vikas Parishad. He added that electricity and cleanliness maintenance have been handed over to the Lucknow Municipal Corporation but was unaware of the locked washroom situation.

The LMC Zone 7 Zonal In-charge said, “I have already issued a letter to place the tapping up to 6 feet on the pole so that a child cannot reach it while playing in the park.”