Facelift for Cubbon Park

Facelift for Cubbon Park
Shade Garden, Waterfall To Greet Visitors Soon
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The horticulture department will make cosmetic changes to Cubbon Park, a move that is likely to be inexpensive as well as eco-friendly. A shade garden and an artificial waterfall will be set up in the area behind Venkatappa Art Gallery and opposite UB City. Work has begun and officials expect it to be completed in a month.
A part of Cubbon Park next to the art gallery has been an eyesore for months with heaps of garbage lying unattended. But things are going to change soon. “The department has planned a shade garden and waterfall next to the gallery. A canal is also being built. We’ll use the water for harvesting and irrigation in the shade garden,” deputy director of horticulture (Cubbon Park) K G Jayadev said.
“The canal inside the park will also replenish nearby groundwater resources and will make the soil fertile,” he said.
The shade garden will be spread across 8,500 square metres. The idea is to cultivate plants that grow in shade. About 15 varieties of “shade plants” will be planted, which comprise spathiphyllum, begonias, maranda, philodendrons, aglaonema, diffen bechia, hydrangea, tree fern, pepper and shade grass, among others. Foxtail palms, seen only in Lalbagh, will also be planted in Cubbon Park.
“The main purpose of the garden is to beautify the area, which is partly visible from Kasturba Road. Moreover, to prevent littering by pedestrians, the fence along this stretch of the park will be raised,” officials said.
Adding to the beauty of the place will be an artificial hillock right in the centre of the shade garden — one that will have a mini waterfall around it. Although visitors will not be allowed to get “very near” to the waterfall, they can certainly get a good view of the whole set up.
Work in the park is progressing in two stages. The canal will be built first and then in the second phase, land level in the area will be raised by laying heaps of soil. The first phase has been completed and the second is nearing completion.
The beautification drive is ecofriendly and cost-effective because stones that have been lying unused since a sewage treatment plant was made here, are now being put to use.
The total cost of the shade garden is around Rs 12 to 13 lakh, and the canal is likely to cost around Rs 3 lakh.
Although work started four months ago, the project got slightly delayed due to construction of the canal.
— Akshata Acharya and Nitya Andrew