Karnal park in neglect, authorities unmoved

Karnal, November 14

Atal Park, one of the biggest parks in the city to be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has become a symbol of neglect.

Poor maintenance of facilities

Defunt fountains, poorly maintained pavements and broken open-air gym equipment demand authorities’ attention

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Residents and visitors often complain that the public park, which was once a major attraction for greenery, is crying for attention of the authorities concerned.

One of the major grievances pertain to the defunct or stolen fountains. Besides, damaged pavements and open-air gym equipment also add to the visitors’ woes.

A resident said that despite the problems having been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned, no action has been taken in this regard.

“The tiled pathway is broken and uneven at many areas, posing risk to the visitors. It should be timely repaired,” said Kapil, a visitor.

Huge funds were spent on the installation of the fountains for beautification purposes. However, most of them have either been stolen or are non-functional, said Malak Singh, another visitor to the park.

A free Wi-Fi facility, started by the Karnal Municipal Corporation, has not been working for several months. The authorities should take cognizance of it, said Raj Kumar, another vexed visitor. He alleged that on several occasions, dry leaves were set on fire along the service lane, causing air pollution in the area.

The condition of the park has deteriorated owing to a lack of maintenance. It requires immediate attention of the officials for its proper management and revival, stated Ankur, another visitor.

Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) XEN (Civil) Dharamvir said an estimate has been prepared for the repair of the footpath and other works, adding that the tender process is underway.

HSVP (Horticulture) XEN Nidhi Bhardwaj said instructions have been given to the employees to stop the practice of burning dry leaves.