Mathikere to go cool in summer

Mathikere to go cool in summer
CM grants Rs 5.5 crore for constructing eight-lane, international-standard swimming pool in the area; it will also have playground and water fountain
DEEPTHI M R


Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has made a huge splash by announcing Rs 5.5 crore for building an eightlane, international-standard swimming pool at Jayaprakash Narayan Park on Mathikere Main Road. The pool will also have a playground and a dancing water fountain. It is part of the Rs 15-crore project for development of the
JP Park, which was kicked off on Saturday. “We want to encourage swimming as a sport and want more people to swim and improve their health in Bangalore,” said Nanjundappa, former corporator, Mathikere.
He said there was no other swimming pool in the vicinity for the residents of Mathikere, Malleswaram and Yeshwanthpur. The only pool closest to these areas is the KC Reddy Swimming Pool in Sadashivanagar. “Only big hotels have pools, which the common people can ill-afford. We will make the pool affordable and clean, with instructors and guards,” he said. The park, initially created on a small area of 30 acres in 1987, now spans 83 acres and houses a 4.5-km jogging track, three lakes and a glass house. “This plan was in the pipeline for a long time, but we needed funds. Now Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has granted funds for developing the park,” he said.
The park currently has 7,000 trees and a water body on a 25-acre area. It will soon have a dancing fountain, water harvesting lake and a parking zone. “We are planning to have all these before the summer sets in and develop it like Lalbagh. The only difference being we will not charge the visitors. “Charges will be collected only from those using the pool,” said Nanjundappa.
The JP Park also houses a ‘Rashi Vana’, with trees representing zodiac signs and ‘Nakshatra Vana’, with each tree representing a planet. “We want to educate our visitors about the Hindu mythology. Housewives come here to pray and also hold prayer meetings on some occasions,” he said.
ON RIGHT TRACK
7,000
Trees
4.5-km
Jogging track
25-acre
Water body, Nakshatra Vana, Rashi Vana, Children’s park with Jungle Jim, slides and swings
THE PARK’S ORIGINS
1987
JP Park started
1997
Nanjundappa Committee spends Rs 15 lakh to improve it