Patna, April 26: Home to doctors, bureaucrats and government officials, Bahadurpur Housing Colony is considered to be an upscale locality of the city. For years, the residents of the area had been craving for a park where children could play and adults could take a stroll in the morning or evening. Now, their dream is about to come true with Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) deciding to develop six parks in the area.

The park at Bahadurpur Housing Colony Sector III is one such green patch transferred to the corporation by Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam for renovation and maintenance. The nigam handed it to the civic body around six months ago after some basic work.

The corporation has promised to give the park, sprawling over about 1.5 acres, a facelift. But at present it cuts a sorry picture.

Stray cattle enter the park through its broken gates and graze. In the absence of any guard, street children invade it. Even bikers drive their two-wheelers on the jogging track in the park, disturbing the keen morning- and evening-walkers.

Visitors to the park said they were happy with the attention it was getting of late, but they feel a lot more has to be done.

Dr Suresh Prasad, a retired district animal husbandry officer, who had come to the park for jogging, said: “This park came up six months ago and since then I have been a regular visitor. The park has basic amenities like a jogging track and benches but it lacks greenery. In the absence of any caretaker, the park has become a playground for street kids. They play cricket in the morning, which create problem for walkers. Cows, dogs and pigs enter the park through the broken gate and litter the place. To add to the woes, there is no sweeper to clean the park.”

Anita Devi, a homemaker and a regular to the park, said: “We were happy when this land got converted into a park, as we thought it will be the best place for morning walks. We thought it would be maintained on a regular basis. But the reality is far from it. As its gates are broken, animals stray into the park. Youths enter the park on their bikes and ride them on the track. The jogging track and benches need repair, as most of them are broken. In absence of lights, the park becomes a haven for drunkards and hooligans in the evening. There is urgent need for a caretaker as well.”

The civic body authorities appear to be keen to address the agonies of Prasad and Anita. The chief engineer of PMC, Ramswarath Singh, said Shalini Media Private Limited had been awarded the park facelift project.

“The details of the agreement with the agency are being drafted by the law department. Once that happens, work will start accordingly,” Singh told The Telegraph. He added that about Rs 3 crore would be spent on development works.

Singh promised once the park is handed over to the private company for maintenance, residents would have no ground to complain.