JP Park: Where work goes on and on...

JP Park: Where work goes on and on...
Deccan Herald

The park was inaugurated twice—once in 1986 and then in 1997. The new deadline is January 2006.

The third largest park in Bangalore is in the making in Mathikere for the past 19 years! The JP Park, an ambitious project on a 84.4 acre plot has seen only 60 per cent completion till date.

In the past two decades, the project has been inaugurated twice—the first time in 1986 when Ramakrishna Hegde was chief minister and then in 1997 during J H Patel’s tenure as chief minister.

Passing through hands

Realising the need for lung space in the Western part of the City, a 112-acre plot was identified near Muthyalnagar, Mathikere in 1986 and was transferred from the BMP to the forest department for development. It was then passed on to the horticulture department, but nothing materialised for 10 years, said area Corporator Nanjundappa. Meanwhile, 30 acres of the park land was occupied by Railways and 4 acres were donated to Muthyalnagar slum dwellers.

In 1997, the land was taken back by BMP and the project was kicked off again by J H Patel under the mega city project. Terra Firma Consultancy took up construction work and a massive compound wall was raised in 1998, at a cost of Rs 75 lakh.

After spending nearly Rs 6 crore, the park is almost ready now with a 25-acre lake, a 4.5–kms stretch of concrete jogging track, 70 solar lights, nearly 5,000 varieties of plants and a play area for children.

According to Nanjundappa, the first 10 years of delay after the project was launched was due to complacency by the forest and horticulture department.

Delay due to funds

Every year only Rs 1 crore could be mustered from mega city project funds, HUDCO, KIADB loans and other sources and a small portion of work completed, he pointed out. Rain adds to misery here as the soil does not facilitate absorption of water.

“Either, we have to wait for stagnant water to evaporate or take up the tedious job of clearing it”, he added.

Despite constraints, speedy completion of spe cific works like raising a compound wall, landscaping and formation of water body were ensured by assigning them separately to different contractors, Nanjundappa said.

The park may be completed by January 2006, but an additional Rs 4 crore will be required to complete work, Nanjundappa said.

The park has already been thrown open for public during the early mornings and evenings.

Migratory birds that visit the lake during the seasons are an added attraction. Strict vigil is kept on the park to prevent unscrupulous elements from fishing or hunting rare birds that come here, Nanjundappa said.

The menace is almost completely checked after a few arrests were made last year, he said.

Ambitious plans

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike proposes to build a musical fountain, a stadium with flood lights and separate play areas for men and women, a huge amphitheatre, a rock garden, a food court, a parking area to accommodate 200 four-wheelers and 400 two-wheelers, a play area for the elderly, a Japanese garden, palm and bamboo grove, Nanjundappa said.