Herbal park closed to students even after 4 yrs of launch

Necklace Road: The Herbal and Spices garden at Necklace Road, which was inaugurated in the year 2014, is lying in a sorry state of maintenance, with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) officials turning a blind eye towards the maintenance of the garden. The chances of any visitor accidentally entering the park is also not possible as the signboard for the park is hidden under a canopy of tree branches.  

The Herbal and Spices garden was launched with an aim to create awareness among the science students about the herbal plants, however till date it has not been opened for the students.  Though the park is not opened for public officially, there are many people who visit the garden including religious devout who perform prayers and sacrifices of animals. The carcasses of sacrificed animals are also found around the garden. When asked about the illegal activities and public visiting the park, a senior HMDA official said that recently the Water Board had taken up pipeline work due to which the compound wall got damaged and people started making entry from there, but now the HMDA was reconstructing the wall. 

When asked about the maintenance of the garden, OSD Gopi Ram said the park inaugurated in 2014 was not open for public and students as the saplings were small then, but it may have been damaged now. He said that now the department has taken up construction and maintenances work of the garden. After the work is completed the Herbal and Spices garden will be open for students with free entry, he added.

BY Aneri Shah