Blueprint for greener Bangalore

Blueprint for greener Bangalore
Deccan Herald

This project will sure make other cities green with envy. If all goes well, verdant Bangalore will turn greener under the ‘Greener Bangalore’ project, which aims to refurbish the city’s urban space. Rose gardens, lotus ....

This project will sure make other cities green with envy. If all goes well, verdant Bangalore will turn greener under the ‘Greener Bangalore’ project, which aims to refurbish the city’s urban space. Rose gardens, lotus gardens, hibiscus gardens, bougainvillaea gardens and the like will dot the Garden City in plenty when the project is fully realised.

As many as 22 theme parks and 16 tree parks or mini forests are on the list of the two-year project being jointly implemented by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and the Bangalore Development Authority.

On Friday, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike dedicated to Bangaloreans, the 84.5-acre Jayaprakash Narayan Park at Mathikere. Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy, who released a booklet on Greener Bangalore on the occasion, noted that the Urban Development Department would be directed to initiate such green projects in other cities across the state as well.

Greener Bangalore project, kickstarted last year, includes development of one park in every ward, tree planting on avenues and sidewalks, and development of green aesthetics in traffic islands.

Partnerships

Promoting public-private partnerships and participation of citizens and resident welfare associations are also said to be among its objectives.

The chief minister handed over certificates confirming such participatory initiatives to four parks on the occasion.

They include a Lions Club unit at Cambridge Layout, Swabhimanaa Initiative at Koramangala and a residents’ group at RT Nagar.

According to DCF and BMP tree officer, Krishna Udupudi, the tender process has been completed for most of the envisaged tree parks and theme parks. Physical estimates of the plans under the project are ready and an increase in the allocation for horticulture in the forthcoming BMP budget should see the project through in the next year, he said.

The BMP will be in charge of the works falling within its geographical boundary, and the BDA for those in the city municipal councils.

The JP Park inaugurated on Sunday is a bio-diversity park and the third largest public green space in Bangalore, next only to Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. Its development was a long-drawn-out affair. The foundation stone was laid in 1987 by the then chief minister Ramakrishna Hedge. Little progress was registered till 1997. Later, the J H Patel government revived it under the Mega City project.