GK-I to keep its park, MCD out

Residents of Greater Kailash-I can now breathe easy. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has shelved its plans to shrink this posh south Delhi colony’s only green lung, reports Sidhartha Roy.

Residents of Greater Kailash-I can now breathe easy. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has shelved its plans to shrink this posh south Delhi colony’s only green lung.

HT Image

As part of a series on the condition of parks and open spaces in the capital, the Hindustan Times had reported that the MCD had plans to build a nursery in the GK-I central park (Jogging space goes to plant – January 5). Facing opposition from the residents, the MCD has now shelved its plan.

“We were planning to put flower pots meant for the Commonwealth Games in the park, but the plan has been shelved. There is no question of a nursery coming up there,” said O.P. Sharda, Municipal Councillor, Greater Kailash. “The MCD and residents should work together. I never wanted to impose my decision,” he said.

Spread over eight acres, the central park is the only big open space in the whole colony where residents can come for morning walks and children can play. The park serves more than 7,000 families living in the eight blocks of GK-I. The MCD wanted to convert about 2.5 acres of the park into a nursery.

“This is a great thing to have happened,” said Rajiv Kakria of GK I RWA. The residents now want this park to be “developed and kept as a playground”.