MCG reopens parks after two months; fitness enthusiasts welcome move

Over two months after they were closed down due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak and the nationwide lockdown, the 793 parks in the city operated by

Over two months after they were closed down due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak and the nationwide lockdown, the 793 parks in the city operated by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), reopened their gates for residents on Sunday.

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Despite an early morning rain, morning walkers, yoga enthusiasts, and people looking to exercise could be spotted in the parks with many saying this was the first time they were stepping outside their residential complexes since March 22, when the parks were closed by the MCG due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“As a senior citizen, I had restricted myself to staying indoors during the outbreak and had to give up on my morning stroll, which was a part of my daily routine. An acquaintance told me yesterday that parks will reopen from Sunday and although I was initially reluctant to step out, I changed my mind when I saw from my balcony that there were some people my age who were walking in the park. I interacted face-to-face with people other than my family for the first time in months, although we were all wearing masks and had to communicate from a distance,” said Rajinder Yadav, a resident of Sector 5.

Yoga enthusiasts, meanwhile, said that they wanted to use this opportunity to start preparing for National Yoga Day on June 21.

“My friends and I have been doing yoga at our respective homes ever since the lockdown. The feeling of practising it together though was a completely different experience. A few of us got together in a park near Galleria market and started practising yoga while maintaining the requisite social distance. We have around two weeks of regular practice left,” said Rohit Aggarwal, a resident of DLF-4.

MCG officials said that they will be monitoring all parks, along with residents’ welfare association (RWAs), regularly to ensure that social distancing measures are being adopted.

“We have decided to open parks as it gives residents an opportunity to keep themselves fit and healthy, which is extremely important amid the Covid-19 outbreak. MCG officials, as well as RWAs, have been directed to ensure residents maintain social distancing and wear masks all the time,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, commissioner, MCG.

The MCG directly maintains 310 parks in the city while RWAs have the responsibility of overseeing 483 parks.

Over the last three months, MCG had pasted stickers across gates of all parks in the city stating that entry is forbidden and a breach would lead to action being initiated against the violator for disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).