BENGALURU: A series of elections have considerably slowed down works on the State government’s ambitious programme of developing Urban Parks. However, in attempt to expedite the works, the government has now set a fresh deadline to create these Urban Parks across the State. During a review meeting held at Secretariat here on Thursday, Chief Secretary SK Joshi gave the concerned authorities November deadline to completes the works.
The main aim of the State government is to develop 129 identified urban forest areas and turn 59 of them into Urban Parks in HMDA limits with remaining 70 developed into Forest Development Zones. Of the 59 proposed parks, as many as 15 have already been developed and opened for public. The works on 23 parks are in progress and four of them will be opened for public by the end of this month. The tendering process for the development of remaining parks has been initiated and the works will also commence very soon.
During the review meeting, the chief secretary directed the officials concerned to bring out separate booklets on Urban Parks.
The visitors to these parks should be provided with basic facilities. However, the natural forest should be protected, the chief secretary said. The Urban Parks should be developed in a manner that they should generate income and they should be self-sufficient, Joshi said. Though Tourism Department was entrusted with the responsibility of developing some of these parks, the CS has now directed the Forest Department to develop all proposed parks.