The Jharkhand government has decided to create more playgrounds and open spaces across towns and cities of the state with the urban development asking all 40 urban local bodies (ULB), including Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), to begin work immediately to identify exisiting spaces or create new ones.
Amit Kumar, director of the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), an arm of the state urban development department, said the move was based on directives of chief minister Hemant Soren who was keen to promote sports at the grassroots.
“One of the biggest problems for city dwellers today is lack of proper space for exercise, jogging or simply to sit and relax. For kids, the culture of highrise apartments has led to shrinking of play areas. All municipal bodies have been asked to send proposals within a week," Kumar said.
Sources said the urban development department planned to use funds from the 15th finance commission for the playground project. “We have asked all municipal bodies to send us at least three proposals. The idea is that at every city/town there must be at least one dedicated playground to begin with,” said an official.
To indicate the government's seriousness about the plan, the official referred to Hemant's initiative of August when he launched the revamp of Jaipal Singh Stadium at Kutchery in Ranchi promising funds to the tune of Rs 4.5 crore.
Residents welcomed the move. Sunny Singh, an under-18 volleyball player, spoke of how players like him had to struggle for a place to practise owing to encroachments near, and poor upkeep of, the Jaipal Singh stadium. “Even the condition of Morabadi ground isn’t good. It’s a welcome sign if the government is now focusing on developing playgrounds," he said.
