Ghaziabad: Chandralekha (75) did not see the broken interlocking tiles on the pathways until she twisted her ankle and fell on the ground. At her age, she said, recovery is slow, made slower by the obesity she manages. She called her son, who drove over to pick her up. She has not been back to Swaran Jayanti Park since.Banku, another Indirapuram resident, still tries. Each evening, he pulls on a face mask before stepping into the park. “The pathway inside the park is mostly unpaved and raises a lot of dust,” he said.Surrounded by more than 1,200 acres of dense urban sprawl, the park once served as a vital green lung in a locality known for high pollution levels. Residents of all ages came for morning and evening walks and exercise, while children would enjoy the swings and slides. There was even a fountain. There is little of that left now.
walking track in the park has broken, the fountain has dried up, trees have dried up
The 25-acre park, the township’s largest, fell into disrepair after years of administrative uncertainty over Indirapuram’s civic handover. The protracted dispute between Ghaziabad Development Authority and Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, residents say, left the park without a clear custodian and maintenance in limbo.Over the last few years, the walking track in the park has broken, the fountain has dried up, trees have dried up, and stray animals have taken over parts of the grounds. Loose power cables dangle from poles near the park entrance. The kiosks that once did brisk business have shut shop or are derelict.Ravindra Kumar, another senior citizen living at ATS Advantage society nearby, said he was a regular at the park till the strays drove him away. “It became part of the routine to visit the park every day. The ambience and the facilities were all up to the mark,” he said. “But I dread visiting the park of late.” One morning, he had reached before dawn, as was his habit, only to be chased by a pack of strays. “I ran for my life as fast as my legs could carry me,” he said.
The 25-acre park, the township’s largest, fell into disrepair after years of administrative uncertainty over Indirapuram’s civic handover
Recently, a road right in front of the park’s entrance has been dug up and cordoned off with a slender wooden slab. “One slip and your walks in the park are over forever,” Chandralekha said. She has begun dissuading senior citizens and children in her building from visiting the park, especially post sundown.Sushil Raghav, another resident, said the green cover tells its own story. “The ornamental plants have wilted. I wonder whether they are even regularly watered. Before, there used to be gardeners. All of it that one could imagine in a park is missing in Swaran Jayanti Park.”
Ornamental plants have wilted over the years
Banku added that earlier there used to be guards at the gates. “Now, there are none. There have been several chain snatching incidents recently, too.”GMC, which was to invest Rs 11 crore in revamping parks across Indirapuram, including Swaran Jayanti Park, told TOI that restoration would start soon. Tenders have been floated, officials said, and work is expected to begin soon.
