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GHMC swimming pools out of bounds for women
That it is a man’s world is best exemplified at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s swimming pools. While men can avail the facility for four hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, there is just one slot available for women between 3 pm and 4 pm in all swimming pools except the Ameerpet Swimming pool where women can avail the facility from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Hyderabad: That it is a man’s world is best exemplified at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s swimming pools. While men can avail the facility for four hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, there is just one slot available for women between 3 pm and 4 pm in all swimming pools except the Ameerpet Swimming pool where women can avail the facility from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The Ameerpet Swimming pool was declared as an exclusive women’s swimming pool when Chitra Ramachandran was the GHMC Commissioner who felt that there were hardly any facilities for women but over the years after requests from men, the swimming pool now allows men to use the pool in the mornings and is open for women in three slots between 3-4 pm, 4-5 pm and 6-7 pm.
GHMC officer on Special Duty-Sports S R Prem Raj said, “256 women have already enrolled at the Ameerpet Swimming pool and the number is only going to rise in the coming days.”
However, women wishing to utilise GHMC swimming pools are finding it difficult as there is just one slot available in majority of the swimming pools. Rekha Rao, a resident of Tarnaka says, “If women wish to go for a swim in the morning they cannot and the timing is odd as it is not possible for working women to avail the facility at 3 pm.”
In all, there are 10 swimming pools in Hyderabad, including mini pools but even there the pool at Amberpet is open only for swimmers. K Venkat Reddy, in-charge of the pool says, “It is a competition pool and is a 9-feet pool. We do not encourage people who do not know swimming.” Urvasi, a resident of DD Colony says, “There is hardly any GHMC pool where women can go and private pools are costly.”
Most of the swimming pools are between 3 feet and 8 feet but the Amberpet pool is 9 feet and is out of bounds for non-swimmers and women are the biggest losers says Urvasi. Sports Officer Prem Raj said that a mini pool is under renovation and would be ready anytime soon at Amberpet. It is 3 feet to 4 feet in depth and would be open for 8-15 years age group.
Women aspiring to learn swimming are forced to shell out close to Rs 2,000 and above in private swimming pools. The admission fee at GHMC pools is Rs 510 and the renewal fee is Rs 500 per month.
