Almost every corner littered with bamboo sticks, thermocol, nails or plastic of all sorts from bags to tumblers. A man urinating in the open, never mind the 'green toilets'. That was the welcome on Friday afternoon to Gandhi Maidan - once Patna's lungs and the city's largest unspoilt verdant stretch, now over-exploited venue for any and every event. It has been a week since Ravan and his cohorts went up in flames for Dussehra, but the historic ground still bears the scars - in the form of garbage.

The 62-acre ground has a hallowed history - the list of towering leaders who have given many a clarion call from its perch includes the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Rajendra Prasad - but its future seems a far cry from its glory days. In the rush to transform the ground, the lungs of the city are being tarred.

The Sri Krishna Smarak Vikas Samiti headed by Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor, which is in charge of the Maidan, wants to develop it into a city square with food and shopping and cultural programmes. On Thursday, the Samiti inaugurated Patna Haat, with 50 handloom and handicraft stalls, in one corner of the Maidan.

But many residents are asking why the iconic ground cannot be preserved as a green island in the middle of the ever-more-chaotic city. Why its glory cannot restored instead of turning it into a commercial space.

'I often visit Maidan as it is very close to my office,' said State Bank of India manager Alok Chandra, one of the visitors at the Maidan on Friday. 'It is nothing less than an eyesore to see the Maidan littered with stuff. You will found every corner littered with garbage. The state government provides the ground to various firms to organise events. Even the government organised Dussehra Mahotsav on this ground during Durga Puja but the authorities concerned forgot the cleanliness part. Only keeping our homes clean is not important. If the city is not clean, we cannot be very proud.'

Akash, a Patna boy who is now a third-year B.Tech student at IIT Delhi, who was also among the visitors to the Maidan on Friday, said he was shocked to find residents relaxing on the ground littered with garbage.

'I was almost a regular visitor to the Maidan when I used to live in Patna,' Akash said. 'People come to the Maidan for some fresh air as nowhere in the city you would find such lush green space but how can you get fresh air amid this garbage? I am disappointed after coming here today. I even tried food from the stall here but it was also not up to the mark. I suspect the food was stale. The authorities should check it. I think it would be better if the government doesn't come up with any new structure at the ground. Instead, it should plant some flowering trees - which can give a visual treat to the visitors - apart from keeping the ground clean.'

Sneha Soumya, senior sales officer in a private bank, was also not happy to find the mess on the ground.

'Gandhi Maidan has plummeted on the cleanliness parameter these days. It might be because of the regular events but authorities needs to address it,' said Sneha.

Divisional commissioner Anand Kishor admitted that the ground was strewn with garbage.

'Even I spotted the ground strewn with garbage in yesterday's event in which Patna Haat was inaugurated,' Kishor said. 'I pointed this out to the agency which is looking after the cleanliness work. I have given them three days time (from Friday) to clean the mess. The whole work is taking time because this year during Ravan Vadh programme, over 1 lakh people participated. This is why the agency might be facing problem in clearing the mess but now I am going to again issue them instructions on this.'

He said that from Saturday, Gandhi Maidan would witness the inauguration of another activity.

'We are going to start weekend cultural programmes at Gandhi Maidan from tomorrow (Saturday),' Kishor said. 'Every weekend - either on Saturday or Sunday - singing, dancing and theatre-related programmes would be organised on the movable stage at the ground. Visitors won't have to pay for seeing the programmes. We want to develop Gandhi Maidan on the lines of city squares in foreign countries. We want to make it the most happening place in the city.'