Meant for recreational purposes, besides serving as the lungs of the city, parks in the state capital are fast deteriorating, with citizens claiming that the once lush spaces are now putting the lives of visitors at risk.
Park-goers say the problems range from minor maintenance issues to safety hazards across the key civic spaces, which cater to visitors from all backgrounds and age groups.
Altaf Ahmed, who was visiting Kamla Park with his six-year-old daughter, Rehana, said his daughter ran around the park before insisting on using the swing, but all swings except one were broken.
"Even the one that wasn't broken was too dangerous to use, so I had to pull my daughter away. It is dangerous for children to play here," Ahmed said.
"The fountain at the park stopped working years ago," he added.
Savita Patel, a regular visitor to the park for several years, says children now only go inside to take photographs, as the amenities have gradually crumbled. Patel blames park authorities for failing to maintain the amenities that once attracted scores of people.
Other parks in Bhopal too have problems. Bal Yatayat Park on the old legislative intersection does not fare well. Regular visitor Rekha Bai said she finds scattered garbage and overgrown grass. "The park is not being maintained properly," she said.
Varun Yadav complains about broken electricity poles and missing lights, which, he says, leave these civic spaces unsafe for visitors, especially women and children, after dark.
He said that free access to stray dogs needs to be curbed, as the mongrels often chase kids and have even attacked them on a few occasions. "It's dangerous for kids," Yadav warned.
Chinar Park has the same issues. According to visitor Shobha Singh, antisocial elements use the park for gambling and drinking. "It's no longer safe to bring my family here," Singh remarked, emphasizing the issue of safety in the region. Elderly Rupam Mishra visits the park regularly with his friends. He says that youngsters visiting the park damage civic property, urinate in public, and destroy plants. Mishra says that any attempts to stop the youngsters are met with abuse and threats. He laments the apathy of the park watchman, saying, "There's no discipline here."
Among the most affordable forms of recreation in any growing city, parks provide spaces where people can take morning and evening walks, besides offering kids safe play areas. The lush environment could also help alleviate growing pollution concerns in the state capital, if only civic authorities would take note.