Chilakalguda Children's Park wallows in neglect

Hyderabad: The Children's Park at Chilakalguda constructed in 2009 is reeling under neglect. Its condition turned into worse as officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have failed to clean and maintain the park.

Having come to know that several GHMC parks in the city are being developed and improvised in terms of equipment, sports activities, and even some have been turned into open gyms, many parents from the Chilakalguda area are demanding the civic body to take up development work of the park.

Seenu Kumar, a resident said, "it has been more than a year that the park's condition turned bad with no proper maintenance. During late-night hours, some locals gather in the park and perform illegal activities, like open consumption of alcohol, as it is poorly lit. Taking this as an opportunity that they won't be visible to the patrolling police many youngsters also gather here to smoke." A parent shared that before Covid children used to play and enjoy; even parents had a good time there. Since March 2020 the park has been ignored by the authority.

A group of residents and parents demanded the GHMC to take up development work of the park by providing games and other equipment so that children can once again enjoy.

This is the only children's park in the Chilakalguda area. Parents are also concerned as they had to give mobile phones to their children. They want their children to visit the park and do some physical activities. Despite repeated appeals over the past few days by residents, officials have not taken up cleaning of the park. Though proposals have been prepared and funds allocated for setting up a walking track and open gym at Chilakalguda playground, no work has been taken up by the civic body. Residents alleged that not even a single open gym has been provided by the GHMC in the Mettuguda division.