HYDERABAD: Public parks are usually maintained by contractors and municipal workers. In Malkajgiri, however, a new experiment is placing that responsibility in the hands of women’s self-help groups to mark World Environment Day.
The pilot project seeks to create sustainable self-employment opportunities while encouraging community participation in the upkeep of public green spaces. Under the initiative, at least two parks in each municipal zone have been allocated to SHGs, with women taking responsibility for cleanliness, watering, plant care and horticultural maintenance under the guidance of the Urban Biodiversity Department (UBD).
The programme marks a shift from contractor-led maintenance towards a community-based model, placing local women at the centre of managing neighbourhood parks.
Officials say the project director, urban community development, and district project officers will closely monitor the pilot. If the groups perform satisfactorily, the government plans to gradually transfer maintenance of other parks currently managed by contractors to women’s SHGs.