Berhampur, Feb. 22: The Berhampur Municipal Corporation has initiated steps to renovate parks in the Silk City.

“The Gandhi Park, situated on the Ramlingam Tank Road near the civic body office, was renovated about three months ago at a cost of Rs 15 lakh. We have arranged about 30 decorative lights with music system fitted in it,” said Sukant Sabat, junior electrical engineer of the corporation, who is in charge of the Gandhi Park.

“A fountain system and play equipment for the children, including a merry-go-round, has also been provided to the park,” he said.

“The park remains open from 4pm to 9pm. Every morning, we trim the grass and clean the park for evening’s visitors. The park is open to all with a very meagre entry fee. We are charging Rs 1 for children aged between five years and 15 years and Rs 2 for those over 15. The low-priced entry ticket is just a token to create awareness among visitors about maintaining cleanliness on the park premises,” he said.

The Gandhi Park remains open also on Sundays . The corporation keeps the park closed for maintenance purpose on Mondays. Visitors also throng the park in large numbers. On Sundays, the park earns between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 from entry tickets. But on other days, the income was around Rs 200 to Rs 500, Sabat said.

The Nehru Park, situated on the Railway Station Road in Hillpatna, also wears a new look. The corporation had spent Rs 12 lakh for renovating this park, said an official of the corporation.

The Nehru Park was made open to the public after renovation last year. Here also, the civic body charges aged between five years and 15 years and Rs 2 for those over 15. However, the visitor’s rush to the Nehru Park is less than that of the Gandhi Park. Income through the sale of entry tickets to the Nehru Park comes to around Rs 600 to Rs 700 on Sundays and Rs 200 on other days.

Pratyush Majumdar, a student of De Paul School and a resident of Shanti Nagar, said: “I like the Gandhi Park a lot. I visit the park with my mother whenevr I get an opportunity. Earlier, the park was in very bad shape and there were no lights inside it. But, things have changed now as authorities have taken initiatives to renovate it.”

K. Bhaskar Reddy, 70, a resident of BRIT Colony at Neelakantha Nagar, said the parks of the city were the only places where one could indulge in some leisurely activities.

“The city is growing rapidly and there is no space for the elderly to spend a few hours amidst peace and tranquillity. I have witnessed the evolution of the Gandhi Park since the era of Chandra Sekhar Sahu, former chairman of the Berhampur Municipality, who initiated steps to renovate it along with Nehru Park. These two parks have now become attractive options to spend leisure hours. I regularly visit the Gandhi Park,” he said.

However, M. Tejeswar Swamy, councillor of ward No. 13 of the corporation, asked for more steps to be taken by the Berhampur Development Authority to further develop the Biju Patnaik Park on the Corporation Road.

“The lighting facilities in the Biju Patnaik Park are not adequate. Also, the authorities should initiate steps to deploy more security guards there,” said the councillor.