BANGALORE: Swimming becomes most preferable activity to beat the heat in summer. It is one of the few ways to escape from scorching sun for children.
However, majority of the children, especially from middle and lower-middle class families, do not have such luxury due to lack of sufficient number of swimming pools in the city.
It is not that there are no swimming pools in the city. According to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) records, there are eight swimming pools in areas such as Basavanagudi, Sadashivanagar, Jayanagar, Kempe Gowda Nagar, Vijayanagar, Ulsoor, Mahalakshmi Layout and Seshadripuram in the city. But most of them are not in good condition.
Among the eight, two pools - Ulsoor and Seshadripuram - are closed.
As far as Ulsoor Swimming Pool on Kensington Road is concerned, it is more a mirage for children from Cox Town, Doddigunta, Shivajinagar and Ulsoor.
It has been closed for more than five years on the pretext of upgrading it, thus depriving them of the little luxury in summers.
This swimming pool was given to the Department of Sports and Youth Services a few years ago for the National Games.
There has been no progress in the development works at the swimming pool. "I used to swim at this pool in summers as a child. Now, it has been closed for developmental works. I do not know when it will be opened for public again?" said V Ramana of Murphy Town.
At the pool, there is nothing but one security person. The contractor made arrangements to strengthen the walls of the swimming pool to prevent seepage of water from the lake. It was learnt that a `1.50crore contract was awarded to a contractor to develop the pool.
"We submitted many memorandums to corporators and MLAs to initiate action and open the pool but they did nothing," said Ravi of Doddigunta.
Udayakumar, corporator of Ulsoor ward, expressed displeasure over the pathetic condition of the Ulsoor Swimming Pool.
"I have visited the place three times. I am not happy with the progress of the work. A few years ago, the BBMP handed it over to the Department of Sports and Youth Services. Nothing has been done to develop the pool. Now, I am asking the authorities concerned to restore it with the BBMP. Many people have complained about the lack of swimming pool facilities in and around Ulsoor," said R Udayakumar.
There is no sign of development at Seshadripuram Swimming Pool. It looks abandoned. According to reliable sources, the pool has been closed for the last seven years. "There was a proposal to demolish it and construct a multistoried building," said a social activist of Seshadripuram.
S Nataraj, corporator of Gandhinagar ward, said no one has discussed it for the last six to seven years.
"Now, MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao and myself have taken up the swimming pool issue with the authorities concerned. We have requested Mayor to sanction `2 crore to take up development works and he has agreed to it," said Nataraj.