PUNE: The closure of civic parks and gardens amid a resurgence of Covid cases has not gone down well with their patrons, who now demand that the facilities be reopened for daily walks.
Sanjay Solanki, a Shivajinagar resident, said, “I often go to nearby parks for a morning walk, but now the facilities are shut. A walk on the road is risky; besides, the condition of roads and footpaths is not good enough.”
Vijaykant Raskar, another resident, said reopening of these facilities would be big relief for senior citizens. “Elderly people cannot walk on roads or footpaths without traffic risks. The civic administration can implement stricter rules and ensure Covid-appropriate measures in green lungs, like not allowing large gatherings of people. Also, some additional restrictions can be imposed on weekends or holidays to avoid overcrowding,” Raskar said.
MLA Siddharth Shirole said he has also received such feedback from citizens, asking that parks be opened for walks in the morning and evening. Shirole said he has approached mayor Murlidhar Mohol to raise the issue in the forthcoming Covid review meeting.
“I had a detailed discussion with the mayor about the re-opening of outdoor spaces. We are confident that a decision will be taken on the same at the Covid review meeting,” Shirole told TOI.
The PMC has over 200 parks around the city. These facilities were reopened around six months ago, but again closed down last week against the backdrop of rising Covid cases.
