No longer a walk in the park

No longer a walk in the park
Bangalore, Sep 20, DH News Service :

Taking a stroll or passing through Cubbon Park won’t be free any more. You either buy a ticket, as you do in Lalbagh, or obtain a yearly identity card meant for regular visitors shelling out Rs 200. The daily entry fee is yet to be fixed.


The horticulture department also plans to ban vehicular traffic inside the park between 11 pm and 8 am. Barricades will be erected along the roads and close-circuit TV cameras installed at various points to keep a vigil on the activities of the visitors and, of course, check littering.

According to Horticulture Minister Umesh Katti, presently, there are many entrances to the park and little vigil on the activities of the visitors, making it a safe haven for miscreants. Given the terrorist threats, it has been also decided to beef up security in the park, he said.

The department has earmarked Rs 8.5 crore this year for improving infrastructure in Cubbon Park, Lalbagh, Nandi Hills and Kemmannugundi. A major portion of the fund will be spent on erecting barricades around Cubbon Park to help channelise vehicle entry and exit through designated gates.

Barricades will be put up on either side of the roads connecting the High Court building - UB City and Hudson Circle. However, vehicles passing through the roads inside the park need not pay any fee.

Entry to the park will be restricted to four points — Hudson Circle, KR Circle, High Court and at Queen’s statue. Ticket counters will be set up at these points.

Food court

A food court is also being planned in the park and eatables will be restricted to this court.
In fact, movement of vehicles in the park has already been banned at night on a temporary basis.

Once the admission fee is introduced, visitors will not be allowed inside the park after 7 pm, said joint director (parks) Dr Ashwath. The department will install CCTV cameras in Lalbagh, too.

Four cameras will be placed at the four entrances and another five cameras at different locations in the garden, according to Ashwath.