Horticulture Department’s move to construct rain shelters at Cubbon Park draws ire.
The Horticulture Department has decided to construct rain shelters and toilets inside Cubbon Park to facilitate walkers.
According to the information provided by Senior Assistant Horticulture Director and Landscape Designer Vishwanath, the project will take three months to complete. Work has begun.
“E-tenders were called for the project and the PWD given the task. At present the work on two shelters are being built at a cost of Rs 10 lakh each,” said Vishwanath.
He said the department was responding to requests from the public as elderly people find it difficult to run to a shelter when it rains. “Five shelters will come up in Cubbon Park. They will have no seating. We will put slabs on top of walls which will be three to four feet high. The roof will ornamental,” said Vishwanath.
Department Director D L Maheshwarappa said, “Toilets and shelters will be put in and we will not violate any court rule. The structures are temporary and can be removed. This was done as there was dire need for the public.”
Cubbon Park Walkers Association President S Umesh lauded the efforts of the department: “This demand was pending for a long time. 50 per cent of the walkers at Cubban park are senior citizens and whenever it rains, they get drenched. Now they can take shelter. Another good news is that toilets at Bal Bhavan and the children’s library will give maximum relief to walkers.”
Park advisory committee not happy
However A N Yellappa Reddy, chairman, advisory committee to the government on park development, criticised the idea and said the department had not consulted the committee on this.
“In my opinion, there is no need for the department to spend on such a project. This activity will disturb the environment. The department should instead maintain ecological integrity,” he told City Express.
Joining Reddy, Arun Nandavar, environmentalist and bird watcher, said, “When there is a ruling that there should be no construction as it is a heritage site, no shelters are required.”