KOLKATA: Most of the parks across the city reverted to pre-Covid hours on Monday. Citizens, particularly children and the elderly, welcomed the development and utilized the relaxed timings to take a stroll, exercise and generally relax in the lap of nature after being cooped up at home for prolonged periods.
Citizens have for some time now been demanding that parks and lakes that had been shut in the wake of the third wave be reopened. KMC had initially announced the opening of the parks for three hours in the morning. But with doctors advising people to walk in the afternoon rather than morning in winter to avoid pollution, citizens demanded longer hours. But KMC announced the opening of parks for three hours in the evening instead, triggering protests. Prominent personalities wrote an open letter to CM, requesting her to open public spaces. With pressure piling up, KMC mayor-in-council (parks & squares) member Debashis Kumar on Saturday said all parks would be opened.
TOI checked out multiple parks on Monday and found that a majority of them were open in the afternoon. However, a few parks like Maharana Pratap Udyan. “The park is closed due to Covid. We have no instructions to open it,” said a caretaker.
A senior KMC parks department official on Monday conceded that guards continued to keep parks locked in the afternoon. “A decision has been taken to revert to pre-Covid timings. The message could not be formally communicated at the ward level. As word goes around, they will open as well,” said an official. A meeting was held on the issue on Monday in which Kumar was appraised of the situation.
The odd disappointments notwithstanding, the overall scene was buoyant. From homemaker Rina Saha who was at Deshbandhu Park to take a stroll after completing the daily chores to Sunil Halder, an accounts official who was at Victoria Square in south Kolkata for a couple of quick rounds during the lunch break, people rejuvenated themselves in the open spaces.
KMDA though continued to keep the parks in the lakes shut in the afternoon. “We wish the authorities just left the lakes open for walkers and birders to spend time,” said techie and birder Sudip Ghosh.
Kolkata: Most of the parks across the city reverted to pre-Covid hours on Monday. Citizens, particularly children and the elderly, welcomed the development and utilized the relaxed timings to take a stroll, exercise and generally relax in the lap of nature after being cooped up at home for prolonged periods.
Citizens have for some time now been demanding that parks and lakes that had been shut in the wake of the third wave be reopened. KMC had initially announced the opening of the parks for three hours in the morning. But with doctors advising people to walk in the afternoon rather than morning in winter to avoid pollution, citizens demanded longer hours. But KMC announced the opening of parks for three hours in the evening instead, triggering protests. Prominent personalities wrote an open letter to CM, requesting her to open public spaces. With pressure piling up, KMC mayor-in-council (parks & squares) member Debashis Kumar on Saturday said all parks would be opened.
TOI checked out multiple parks on Monday and found that a majority of them were open in the afternoon. However, a few parks like Maharana Pratap Udyan. “The park is closed due to Covid. We have no instructions to open it,” said a caretaker.
A senior KMC parks department official on Monday conceded that guards continued to keep parks locked in the afternoon. “A decision has been taken to revert to pre-Covid timings. The message could not be formally communicated at the ward level. As word goes around, they will open as well,” said an official. A meeting was held on the issue on Monday in which Kumar was appraised of the situation.
The odd disappointments notwithstanding, the overall scene was buoyant. From homemaker Rina Saha who was at Deshbandhu Park to take a stroll after completing the daily chores to Sunil Halder, an accounts official who was at Victoria Square in south Kolkata for a couple of quick rounds during the lunch break, people rejuvenated themselves in the open spaces.
KMDA though continued to keep the parks in the lakes shut in the afternoon. “We wish the authorities just left the lakes open for walkers and birders to spend time,” said techie and birder Sudip Ghosh.
