PMC not to charge fee for entry to public parks

Pune Municipal Corporation to allow free entry to ten public parks due to minimal fee collection. Standing committee to decide in next meeting.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will soon be allowing citizens free entry to at least ten public parks across the city. The garden department has moved a proposal regarding the same before the standing committee which will decide on it during the next meeting, said officials.

The department has found that the amount collected through fees was negligible when compared with expenditure being incurred on the manpower appointed to look after maintenance of the parks. (HT PHOTO)

These parks include, Indraprastha Udyan, Yerawada; Galande Patil Udyan, Kalyaninagar; Dhondiba Sutar Baludyan, Kothrud; Pankuvar Firodiyan Udyan, Shivajinagar; Shahid Major Tathawade Udyan, Karvenagar; Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Udyan, Navsahyadri; Raja Mantri Udyan, Khilarewasti; Tilak Gulab Pushpa Udyan, Sahakarnagar; Vithabai Pujari Udyan, Maharashinagar and Sant Gajanan Udyan, Gokhalenagar.

The civic charges nominal fees between 50 paise to ₹2 for entry to the said parks. The department has found that the amount collected through fees was negligible when compared with expenditure being incurred on the manpower appointed to look after maintenance of the parks.

Ashok Ghorpade, garden superintendent, said, “We are witnessing a number of challenges when it comes to recovering entry fees of a small denomination. The amount collected is not even sufficient to pay the monthly salaries of the staff deployed for their upkeep and maintenance.”

“Moreover, there is no digital system put in place to receive the entry fee money,” he added.

The garden department mulled over the fact that since the parks witnessed a large turnout daily, it was not feasible to increase the entry fee lest it would be unacceptable to citizens. Besides, entry is free for all gardens between 6am and 8 am.