The Swabhimaana Tree Park off 18th Cross, 15th B Main, in Sector 3 is a joy to behold.
The biggest problem with any new public space is that money is granted to build a park or lake, but there is hardly any money given for their maintenance. That’s precisely the problem facing many public amenities in HSR Layout. Thankfully, last week’s BBMP budget is now allocating money towards the maintenance of parks, and this should help other parks in HSR Layout. However, this park comes under the BDA for now.
The largest assets that HSR has are two: Agara Lake and Swabhimaana Tree Park. While the Agara Lake Protection & Management Society (ALMPS) is doing everything in its power to get adequate funds for its maintenance, something similar is required for the 9-acre Swabhimaana Tree Park in Sector 3.
VS Ugrappa, a resident of Sector 3 and the new Member of Parliament from Bellary, spoke to Residents Watch on the state of the park. “A lot more money is yet to come from the government for the park,” he said. “The work is going on at a slow pace because the money is being released very slowly. Many contractors are working without getting paid yet.”
Regarding the misuse of the park by the residents, particularly on weekends, he said that they are considering to fence the area around the fountains to avoid people from using it as a swimming pool and spoiling the sprinklers. But to the larger question of park maintenance, he said that he was looking to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds from corporates. On some residents’ suggestion that an entry fee should be levied to maintain the park, he said, “Then it will become another HSR Club which has become out of bounds to many because of its stiff entry fee. This public space is for all and we have to maintain the sanctity of it.”
