Citizens maintaining two public parks after the authorities closed them down earlier this year have done an extraordinary job and given the state government officials enough reasons for soul searching.

Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam (BRPNN) had shut down six parks in the city on January 17 citing lack of funds for their upkeep. The next day, residents informed the authorities concerned and opened park number 22 and 25 in Kankerbagh. They pledged to take care of the green patches. The Telegraph had reported the initiative in its January 19, 2012 edition.

Around two months on, The Telegraph revisited the six parks on Sunday and found that the residents had achieved what the government agency had failed to.

People’s parks

Park number 22 and 25 at Kankerbagh

Maintained by: The residents of the neighbourhood

Treat for visitors: Well-manicured gardens, watered and flowering plants, clean walkways, benches and functional fountains. Visitors have to purchase tickets worth Rs 2 at park number 25 and Re 1 at park number 22. The money collected from tickets is used for upkeep of the public utilities. The parks remain open in the morning from 5 to 10, and again from 4pm to 7pm. Nightwatchmen guard the parks after they are closed.

Success recipe: Citizens’ committee — an organisation of 10 residents who take care of the parks. They pay wages to the gardeners and caretakers from the fund accumulated through subscription and gate sale (tickets). Around Rs 10,000 is spent on the maintenance of each park.

“We sent letters to the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police about maintaining our park but we did not get any help from the government. We have to keep the park in a nice shape though,” said Sunil Kumar Sinha, the secretary of Kankerbagh Park No. 22.

He added: “I don’t think the government would have done as good a job if they had maintained the parks.”

Upendra Nath Singh, a member of citizens’ committee of Kankerbagh Park No. 25, said: “Residents should take up the responsibility of all the parks in the city. They should form committees. It is for our benefit. We take care of the park personally and make sure that everything is perfect.”

Dry patches

Kankerbagh Park No. 32; SK Nagar Park at Kidwaipuri; SK Puri Park on Boring Road; and Rajvanshi Nagar Park, Rajvanshi Nagar

Maintained by: BRPNN

Put off: Visitors to these green patches are a few. They can’t be blamed. Sharing a leisure spot with stray cows, mongrels and rats is surely not a very attractive prospect. Broken benches and fountains, along with dead and dying plants, also deter residents from frequenting these spots that were intended to be public utilities.

At SK Nagar Park, the pathways have missing tiles, the lamps do not have bulbs and the plants are dead. The caretaker, Shankar Singh, pleads helplessness. “What can I do? I am the only one responsible for the maintenance of this park. It is not humanly possible,” he said.

Singh added: “When the park was first opened in 2009, there were a lot of morning walkers. Their numbers have now dwindled. Those who come, leave soon.”

The condition of SK Puri Park is no better. Mongrels and stray cattle have taken over the green patches. The fountain — once the prime attraction for the morning walkers — has become a home for rats and insects. Akash Bhaskar, a resident of the area, said: “As this is the only park near my home, I come here. But it is very dirty. I cannot even sit and rest as most of the benches are broken or dirty.”

Caretaker of the park Sanjay Kumar said: “Anyone can enter the park whenever they want and do anything. I have sent reports to the authorities concerned but in vain.”

His counterpart at the Rajvanshi Nagar Park is also in a similar position. “Property of the park, like bulbs, is often stolen. But I am unable to stop it,” he said.

The condition of Kankerbagh Park No. 32 is worse: its caretaker abandoned it to its fate, as he did not get his salary for months. The park plunges into darkness post sundown, as the power connection has been snapped because of overdue electricity bill.

Official stand

BRPNN chairperson Vipin Kumar said: “We are doing our best for the maintenance of the parks. They will soon be handed over to Patna Municipal Corporation.”

Perhaps the officials need to visit the parks maintained by the citizens — not just for fresh air, but also for fresh ideas.