Bhubaneswar, Oct. 26: Open-air gymnasiums at five major parks maintained by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) have turned into major attractions for health conscious visitors, especially youths.
The open-air gyms were inaugurated at five parks - Biju Patnaik Park near Capital Hospital, Buddha Jayanti Park near Niladri Vihar, Kelucharan Park near Netaji Enclave, Madhusudan Park near Pokhariput and Kharavela Park near Khandagiri-Udayagiri Hills - on September 1. Each of these gyms are equipped with air walkers, sit-up benches, air swings, twisters, gliders, spinners, parallel bars and weights.
The BDA is also developing an 3,000-square-feet indoor gym at Indira Gandhi Park near PMG Square.
Chief horticulturist (in-charge) of BDA Ashok N. Dhar said the initiative had helped the development authority spread health awareness among the people. He said that many young women suffering from immunity-related diseases such as arthritis were benefiting from the open-air gyms.
On an average, nearly 200 people are visiting each of these gyms daily. The number had more than doubled, touching 500, during Durga Puja in centrally located parks such as the Biju Patnaik Park and the Buddha Jayanti Park.
"I come regularly to Madhusudan Park. As I am an athlete and represent my school, so I need to practise to increase my strength and endurance level. The gym helps me a lot," said Md Aqeelur Rehman, a student of DAV Public School, Pokhariput.
"I visit the Biju Patnaik Park daily to use the equipment available in the open-air gym. They help me stay fit," saidcollege student Chandrakant Nayak.
Professional Anshuman Patnaik said: "The open-air gyms have become a hit. They are also a meeting place for health conscious people. For students, it is a great place to exercise, as they would have to pay Rs 600 to Rs 700 per month for using the same equipment in private gyms."
Bhubaneswar, which is in the race to become the first city from the state to be shortlisted by the urban development ministry under its smart city programme, needs to focus on the development of parks, open spaces and green patches to ensure that residents have more options for recreation and open-air exercises. keeping in mind the rapid growth of the city, <>the development authority had proposed to construct 21 new parks and a detailed project report was being finalised.
