Rs 5 cr spent on restoration, Chali Khoo Park still in state of neglect owing to lack of maintenance

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, January 20

Even after spending huge funds on the restoration of the Chali Khoo (Forty wells) Park near Jodha Fatak, it is still in a neglected state. Iron grills, electricity poles and other infrastructure are missing and it gives a shabby look due to its poor upkeep.

Historian’s views on park

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Historian Anand Gauba in her book, “Amritsar: A study in urban history”, mentioned that the Amritsar municipality got an advance loan from the Central Government in 1902 for the waterworks in the city. It was the first time when the city residents got tap water supply. The Chali Khoo project got functional in 1904, but the water pressure was low and supply too scanty to satisfy the needs of half of the populace. A lot of efforts were made to improve the water supply. In 1918-19, some tubewells were added to improve the capacity.

Chali Khoo, dug up in 1904 for tap water supply by the British, had been restored under the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) in 2018. The government had spent Rs 5 crore on the project with an objective to attract tourists.

The park was beautifully developed under the HRIDAY project. Owing to the lack of maintenance and security arrangements, the iron grills installed in the park were stolen by drug addicts. Garbage can be seen scattered everywhere. The people avoid to enter the park due to lack of cleanliness and wild growth of grass. — Sushma, a local resident

Owing to the lack of maintenance and negligence of the authorities concerned, the Chali Khoo Park is again in bad shape. Even after spending crores of rupees in the name of beautification, nothing concrete has been done and achieved. It has become a safe haven for thieves and drug addicts.

The authorities had installed high mast lights inside the park. Ironically, the control panel of the lights is missing. Residents say that thieves have stolen the control panel, iron poles installed for lights and iron grills from the park. Initially, the authorities had deployed watchmen, who used to look after the park at night and even drug addicts did not came here. But as soon the funds got exhausted, no alternative arrangements were made.

Sushma, a local resident who often visit the park in evenings, said, “The park was beautifully developed under the HRIDAY project by spending Rs 5 crore. Owing to the lack of maintenance and security arrangements, the iron grills installed in the park were stolen by drug addicts. Garbage can be seen scattered everywhere. Owing to the lack of cleanliness and wild growth of grass, people avoid to enter the park.

She said, “The lights are dysfunctional as wires and several poles have been stolen. Some people have also broken the wall of the park due to which it has become easy for mischievous elements to enter the park.”