City’s Freedom Park still in chains

City’s Freedom Park still in chains
Deccan Herald

Initiated in 2002, the project had been discussed by representatives of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the Bangalore Agenda Task Force, the Horticulture Department and the State government.

It’s over three years now. But the Freedom Park is yet to break free from the clutches of the old Central jail in the City. It took almost two years for the project to take shape and now the proposal has been slumbering for over a year within the dockets of the State government.

Initiated in 2002, the project had been discussed by representatives of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the Bangalore Agenda Task Force, the Horticulture Department and the State government. Then a national design competition to design a plan for the park was held. Next, the blueprint for the world’s tallest tower was given the green-signal, following which tenders were called for.

The project was then submitted to the State government for approval and it has been lying with the government for more than a year. Yet, officials state that successive governments have been keen on having a freedom park but it was procedural delays that slowed down the project’s progress.

According to BMP Commissioner Jothiramalingam, the Freedom Park is the right chance for authorities to preserve greenery and improve the environment in the City. “A park would provide the ideal lung space at a crowded location, as trees will help reduce air pollution. There is a need for open spaces such as these in the City,” he said, denying the possibility of the land being sold to anyone.

Today the idea of having the world’s tallest tower has been given up and it was decided that some space for protests and rallies would be included in the project following an announcement made by former chief minister Dharam Singh.

According to sources, the State government, while giving a de facto approval to the BMP recently, has brushed aside the idea of a tower at the Freedom Park on grounds of feasibility. “The State government feels that such a tower may not be feasible in this area as there is high traffic there.

The ‘tallest tower’ idea has been trashed at the concept level itself,” sources said, adding that the BMP has been advised to take whatever further action necessary with regard to the park.

“This is being translated as an indirect approval for the park per se, without the tower.

A letter will soon be sent to the contractor in charge of the project asking him to be ready,” sources said.

While the grandiose plans of having the tallest tower and a revolving cafeteria are gone, the Freedom Park will just be a park once it is completed.

Blueprint in cold storage

Project initiated in 2002

Estimated cost: Rs 7.5 crore

560 metres tower idea trashed

Central tower of old jail, parts of barracks to be retained

Six acres added to initial area of 21 for protests, rallies

One year to complete, after approval