Khairatabad: Playground slowly falls prey to land sharks

Khairatabad: Residents of Bastiwada in Khairatabad are fighting to save the public space -- Sanjay Gandhi playground which has been encroached allegedly by a few land sharks. RTI activists found at least 17 encroachments on the playground and blamed it on GHMC's lackadaisical attitude which is yet to initiate action.

The playground is slowly being encroached over the last few years and the pace of activity has only increased, triggering locals to resist any move from the encroachers. The youngsters, who had been playing sports in this open space, are unable to digest the fact that their beloved ground would cease to exist.

To an RTI query, the GHMC acknowledged the fact that there are 17 encroachments on the playground. "In 2016, I held an RTI query on the encroachments on the playground in which GHMC replied that there are 17 encroachments. Now it has been around 5 years, but the civic body has failed to remove the encroachments on the playground," said Mohammed Habeebuddin, RTI activist.

Habeebuddin said that now the encroachments have only increased and some construction works are also going on in ground. "There are a few temporary huts, as well as a paid parking for vehicles and around 60 per cent of the playground has been encroached. Portion of the playground is now being utilised as an auto garage," he said.

Bastiwada Youth appealed to GHMC to remove the encroachments as it was also used to train young sportsmen. After regular complaints by residents and youth, civic officials visited the playground several times, but nothing has been done since then. "The GHMC is acknowledging that there are encroachments, but the playground still remains under the threat of land sharks," said Omer Bin Khalifa, a resident.

Several complaints were also given by the Bastiwada Sports Association to the authorities demanding to free the playground from encroachments, but nothing has been done. "We have only a playground in the area, which caters to not only the people of the area, but also for surrounding areas.

Now even in the whatever remaining space they are not allowing us to play. The corporation must free the playground at the earliest," said Rahul, who used to practice hockey on the ground.

"The ground is the only free space and even elderly used to visit during evening hours but now this has stopped due to the presence of anti-social elements in the playground. They even demolished the retaining wall around the ground," said Saleem Khalifa, a resident.