The only open green space in the heart of Dehradun city- Gandhi Park- continues to suffer due to official apathy. This situation persists despite the authorities having announced ambitious plans to develop and beautify it.
Despite the claims the park still remain a popular hangout for the gamblers and the drunkards particularly after evening descends, making it impossible for the common people to wander about it to fill their lungs with fresh air.
Avtar Singh, an elderly man living in Macchi Bazaar, has been visiting the park for the past 18 years. He says, "The park is not what it used to be. Gambling and drinking are rampant under the nose of the law-keepers. The park was good before Dehradun turned into the capital of the State. The sad reality is that things keep on worsening since Uttarakhand came into being with Dehradun as its capital."
The sprawling ground is also used to stage street plays, band concerts, musical concerts, protests, candle marches and election campaigns.
Another elderly visitor sounded perturbed too with the park meant for the people to breathe in fresh air becoming a place for staging candle light protest and the like. "This is obnoxious," he complained.
Referring to another problem that is dogging the park, Raman Chauhan and Anurag Rawat, B.Sc students, said the visitors are least bothered about its cleanliness. "They litter the area with things that make it look filthy. MDDA and waste warriors have provided the park with dustbins, but most of the people don't use them. No sweepers being here to clean the park daily, it is becoming uglier with each passing day," said one of them despairingly.
People not parking their vehicles in the MDDA parking space is leading to congested roads and consequent discomfort for the pedestrians.
People are vocal too over the absence of some basic amenities. "The public toilet inside the park is seldom cleaned. Also there are no taps for drinking water. Strangely enough, they have put up tanks, but no taps. On one end of the corner, there is a sort of urinal which stinks. There is no urinal for ladies or kids either," said Anisha, a resident of the city.
Afsha Parween and his son Mohammad Hamza, found sitting on a bench, said it was their first visit to the park. "But we do not like the place. It has ceased to be a park. It looks more like a desolate place where some people come to do the stuff which they can't dare to do in public. Not just the tracks are unkempt but there is shortage of benches too," grumbled Afsha.
Ambika Saini and Manoj Saini from Muzzafarnagar were agonized by adults using the swings. "Some form of fee should be there for the adults using the swings," said an annoyed Ambika.k