The Karnajora Udyan in Raiganj. Picture by Nityananda Sarkar

Raiganj, Jan. 4: The North Dinajpur district administration has closed down the only park in town on January 1, claiming that it has no money to maintain it.

Hundreds of visitors had to go back from the gates of Karnajora Udyan on January 1 because of the sudden and unannounced closure.

“Many people had thronged the park on December 31. The very next day when we saw the closure notice, we thought it was a joke. But despite a large gathering from the morning, no one came to open the gates,” said Bimal Roy, the owner of a bicycle stand in front of the park.

“This used to be a safe place for children. But now since the park is closed, I will have to take them to the Kulik Bird Sanctuary beside the national highway,” said Tapati Das, a teacher of a Kindergarten, who had come with her students for a nature study class and a picnic at the park.

The district administration is not willing to change its decision.

“In order to maintain the park, we need a gardener, labourers and guards and also incur other costs. This was turning out to be a burden of Rs 25,000 a month. Every visitor is charged only Rs 2 to enter the park. We cannot afford this expenditure any more and so we have shut it down,” said North Dinajpur district magistrate Sukumar Bhattacharya.

The chairman of the Raiganj municipality, Mohit Sengupta, said the civic body could not provide the residents with another park because of lack of space.

“It is strange that the district administration has shut down the only park we have. Once the administration reduces the use of official cars for personal purposes it can easily save money and maintain the park,” Sengupta said.

The chairman also said he would have a discussion on the re-opening of the park with the district magistrate.

Inaugurated on February 7, 2004, the 20-acre park was landscaped, hedged and beautified with funds from the zilla parishad.

The park was a popular destination for the people of Raiganj and Hemtabad.