Hyderabad: Footfalls falling at cycling park in city

Hyderabad: The exclusive cycling park in city – the Pala Pitta Cycling Park – is yet to see good numbers of cyclists even as the New Year has been ushered in. Users complain of improper maintenance and poor compliance of the Covid norms.

The park, situated opposite the Botanical Garden in Kothaguda, had at least 1,000 visitors queuing up for cycling during the weekends. But at present, only around 300 are visiting during weekdays and around 400 to 500 on weekends.

The Telangana forest department has been making efforts to turn the park an eco-hub since 2017. Visitors, who once lauded the park as a wonderful urban lung space, are sore as its maintenance has taken a hit. "Cycles being given for rent at the stalls are hardly sanitised now-a-days. No one in the park is seen wearing mask and maintaining social distancing. This is very dangerous for every one of us," said Prathima Reddy, a CA student who resides in Kothagudem.

"This park is dedicated solely to cycling and recreational activities. We are trying to maintain all the self-care norms after the pandemic. The primary objective is to provide an ultimate safe space, especially for cyclists, arranging well-sanitised cycles to visitors. Cycle-lovers can happily come in. All required facilities for cycling are being provided, as usual," said a senior official of the forest department.

"The park is spread over 39 acres and gets visitors from afar. A few have stopped coming after witnessing people recklessly cycling without masks and without social distancing. We have around three security guards in the park to provide security for visitors and one supervisor to oversee it. To make people comfortable, we are implementing all the norms, but some are reckless about their health and of others," said Karunakar, supervisor.

Visitors and members can either bring their own cycles or rent one right at the park. The 3-km cycling track meanders between trees. It is often a two-way ride except for a scenic route that winds around a pond. Not only for cycling, the park used to draw in a lot of couples, friends and families, who all want to hang out under 7,500 trees.