Cobblestones go missing

Cobblestones go missing
NIRANJAN KAGGERE


The department’s efforts to provide good facilities for morning joggers and visitors appears to have gone in vain following thieves’ skilled handiwork. Even as the incident of stealing copper faucets that were fitted in various parts of the park a few months ago, is still fresh in the minds of regular visitors, a few weeks ago, thieves laid their hands on the attractive joggers track near the East gate (Siddapura Gate). Speaking to Bangalore Mirror,a senior official from the department said,“A separate joggers’ track measuring two kilometers was laid to help joggers a few years ago. Recently, it was further improved by laying cobblestones and was extended up to the West Gate spanning a distance of six kilometers. But we were shocked to see that even those stones were also targeted by the thieves. Many such stones have been stolen from the track.”
Though the incidents of theft are not new to the department, the officials are in no mood to compromise this time. Envisaging a better security especially from the Siddapura side where the compound wall is just four feet and covered with wide spread bushes, the department has planned to construct eight feet compound walls. The PWD department has sanctioned Rs 40 lakhs for this task.According to senior officers, the eight-foot wall will further be equipped with metal fences to prevent any possible attempt by the thieves to gain entry into the gardens.