Residents of Sangam city will soon have easier access to fitness facilities in their neighbourhoods, with the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) planning to establish 30 new open-air gyms across the city at a cost of more than ₹1 crore.
The gyms will be set up in parks and other public spaces and equipped with a variety of exercise machines, including standing waist trainers, shoulder wheels, space walkers, bicycles, leg presses, rowing machines, chin-up and dipping bars, pull chairs, chest presses, scaling ladders and sit-up benches. The facilities will be available free of cost.
The civic body has started identifying suitable locations for the new gyms. Officials said the sites are being selected in areas where existing open-air gyms are located far away, making it difficult for residents to use them regularly. In 2021, 397 open-air gyms were installed across the city’s 100 wards under the Smart City Mission.
The new facilities are being designed to cater to people of all age groups, including youngsters, women and senior citizens. Residents who visit parks for morning and evening walks are also expected to benefit from the initiative.
PMC chief engineer Dinesh Chandra Sachan said the project aims to promote a healthier lifestyle while ensuring better use of public spaces.
{{/usCountry}}PMC chief engineer Dinesh Chandra Sachan said the project aims to promote a healthier lifestyle while ensuring better use of public spaces.
{{/usCountry}}“The exercise equipment will be installed at varying heights to suit children as well as elderly users. Locations will also be selected keeping in mind the needs of local residents and the security of the equipment,” Sachan said.
He added that a tender for the project will be floated after the 30 locations are finalised. The tender conditions will require the private agency installing the gyms to maintain the facilities for at least five years.