The New Town authorities have formed advisory committees for parks and playgrounds in eight blocks which will in effect be in charge of operations at the ground.
Each committee in AL, BA, BC, CB, DA, CE, DC and CE blocks has four residents and a representative of the rank of assistant or sub-assistant engineer and will decide the functioning of the parks.
This is being seen as a climbdown from its earlier restrictive stance by which the NKDA had wrested day-to-day control of the parks from the residents’ bodies.
The circular was issued on Tuesday mentioning the names of the parks and the names of the committee members.
According to the order, while normal park timings will be from 5am till 8pm, they can be modified according to recommendations made by the advisory committees.
The locking of the park gates and security will also be locally decided by the committee but the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) will levy electricity charges if the lights are kept on and it is observed that there is high consumption.
The NKDA has also decided to let these committees decide on the coaching camps and organisation of games and sporting events inside these parks, provided that the existing infrastructure, including the high fencing lights and grounds are not damaged.
The backstory
Last year, the NKDA had pasted notices all over these eight parks specifying park timings — that the parks would open at 5am and would shut by 8pm.
New Town has a large population of working people and several residents had complained to The Telegraph Salt Lake that their work did not get over before 8.30pm.
According to them, they were not able to access the parks for a walk after dinner or a game after work because of the park’s timings. This had prompted several residents to write to NKDA seeking redress.
The New Town Forum and News — a charitable trust working for social causes in New Town — had also sent a letter to the NKDA, which is the custodian of all parks in all three action areas, asking them to ensure that the parks were kept open for longer hours.
The NKDA in a previous notice had also announced that coaching camps of any sort of sports or games would be conducted through the New Town Business Club, a move that had riled a lot of residents as several blocks, including DB Block and CE Block, had existing football and other sports coaching facilities.
Anupam Ghosh, a resident of DB Block who is at the advisory committee of DB Park, said they were happy that sending countless letters to NKDA had finally borne fruit. “This will help us monitor the parks, organise coaching camps as well as ensure that the facilities are not abused in any way,” said Ghosh.
The NKDA, however, has asked residents not to construct any permanent structures in these parks.
While there are multiple parks and playgrounds in New Town, these eight grounds have been transformed into sports arenas with well-laid grass, high iron fencing and lighting systems that make it possible to use them for sports both at day and night times.