City to take a leaf out of the Big Apple!

City to take a leaf out of the Big Apple!
By C S Hemanth, DH News Service, Bangalore:
A green 'oasis' amid the concrete jungle, being jointly conceived by the Bangalore Development Authority and the Forest Department, will be on the lines of the world renowned Central Park in New York.


For those concerned at the City’s rapidly fading greenery, here is a reason to cheer.
A green ‘oasis’ amid the concrete jungle, being jointly conceived by the Bangalore Development Authority and the Forest Department, will be on the lines of the world renowned Central Park in New York, complete with lakes, fully grown trees, parks, playgrounds and other space for recreation activities.
BDA Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda told Deccan Herald that Bangalore’s Central Park will developed in the western part of the City between Sulekere, Kodigehalli, Kannahalli and Srirampura, on a 747-acre plot.
“Our priority is preservation of the City’s green cover and to ensure that there is enough lung space amidst all the development activities. Now, apart from Lalbagh or Cubbon Park, there is no major green space within the City. The 747-acre plot is ideal for locating an integrated park, which will be on the lines of the New York park or the Vasanth Vihar area in New Delhi,” Mr Gowda said.
(The Central Park is a 843-acre sprawl of green in the centre of Manhattan, New York. Its design is a model for city parks around the world.
The park boasts several lakes, theatres, ice rinks, fountains, tennis courts, baseball fields, other playgrounds and such. It is also home to the Central Park Zoo and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.)
The Forest Department already has in Sulekere a 445-acre plot, which has water bodies and fully grown trees. Similarly, a 225-acre and 67-acre plots respectively at Kodigehalli and Kannahalli would be developed into parks.
While, another 100 acres at Srirampura would eventually be part of the integrated park, which has been approved the by State government.
“There’ll be plenty of green areas with forests, lakes and parks with walkways for the public to be in sync with nature. There will also be space for recreation activities,” he added.

IT Park, too
A 1,000-acre plot will be allotted for the IT sector as part of the Comprehensive Development Plan, said Mr Gowda.
IT parks and other IT-enabled industries would be allocated sites in this plot, which is aimed at developing the western parts of the City. “At present, there is an imbalance in growth as most IT companies have set up shop in the City’s southern parts,” he said.