Hyderabad: Wait gets longer for park re-opening

Hyderabad: Though the government is planning to hold another round of plantation under Haritha Haram program from June 20, there are several parks and gardens in and around the city that won't come to serve the denizens anytime soon, as ban on public entry into such places is still in effect following the outbreak of coronavirus in March this year.

Once such park is located at Shivrampally, which was restored only few months ago, and when it was ready and the officials were plan to re-opening came the shock of lockdown. The park has since been lying unattended and the people are eager to visit as before.

"The park is almost ready to open to visitors but the prohibitory order is still in place. We have spent almost Rs 11 lakh on the revival of this beautiful park which is full of flora and fauna. Planting of different varieties of saplings has been taken up and we also developed a walkway inside," informed an official on the condition of anonymity.

The visitors can only gaze the lush green environs of the park from outside. We have been waiting for long for the reopening of the park as there is no lung space left in and around the area for early morning walk, and breathe a fresh air," Syed Shoukat Ali, a social activist.

HMDA Park, developed on a dried portion of famous Bum-Ruknud Dowla lake at Shivrampally, was in a neglected state for several years. However, the restoration work of desolated park began finally on February 17 and were over by the second week of March. However, the lockdown dashed the hopes of denizens to savour the sights and sounds of the green surroundings.