Bengaluru Parks: Residents Demand Longer Hours, Raise Concerns Over Access

Bengaluru residents are demanding longer public park timings, saying restricted access is affecting senior citizens, walkers and employees who return home late. Residents have urged the GBA to keep parks open for longer hours.

Restricted entry timings at public parks in Bengaluru have sparked frustration among citizens, particularly regular walkers, senior citizens and corporate employees who return home late. Several residents have questioned the limited morning and evening access, arguing that the schedule makes it difficult for people to use neighbourhood parks at their convenience. Some residents have also raised concerns that restricted access could affect the city's Ease of Living Index.

A resident of Banashankari 6th Stage recently submitted a formal request to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), urging the civic body to keep parks in South Bengaluru open from 5 am to 10 pm.

'Parks Are Closed When We Come At 9 PM!'

Srinath Belodu, a 55-year-old resident, expressed his frustration over the restricted timings.

He said, "Our area has many parks, but not a single one is open to the public all day. Authorities open them at 6:30 am and close them by 8:30 am. They open the gates again at 4 pm and shut them exactly at 8:30 pm. These timings do not work for senior citizens or corporate employees who finish work and reach home by 8 or 9 pm. How are we all supposed to exercise?"

The GBA Chief Commissioner received the complaint and instructed the South Corporation to take action. However, 20 days have passed, and residents say there has been no change.

Srinath expressed his disappointment, saying, "The Commissioner gave the instruction 20 days ago, but lower-level officials have taken zero action. Nobody has even contacted me."

Same Story At Sankey Tank

Residents say the issue is not limited to South Bengaluru and that similar restrictions are being seen across the city.

Aravind Dwarakanath, a resident of Malleswaram, said, "Sankey Tank is a major green zone in the city, but it stays closed from 10 am to 3:30 pm. People could come and exercise at their own convenience if the park was open all day. The limited timings are causing heavy crowding during the opening hours. Additionally, the public is not getting access to local playgrounds either."

Priyanka Jain, a resident of Sanjayanagar, believes authorities should focus on improving security and maintenance instead of restricting access.

She said, "Authorities have the responsibility to increase security measures if a place is unsafe. They cannot just tell people to stay at home. This exact thing happens every few years. Officials keep the park open all day for some time, and then they cut the timings the moment some untoward incident happens. This is not a proper solution."

'Illegal Activities Increase After 8 PM': GBA Defends Move

A GBA official responded to the public criticism and defended the decision to restrict park timings.

The official said, "Our review shows that genuine walkers rarely visit the park after 8 pm. We mostly find people engaging in anti-social activities during that time. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) themselves gave us complaints after several crime incidents, like chain snatching, took place in South Bengaluru. Therefore, we took the decision to strictly close the parks at 8 pm. Furthermore, we need to close the parks in the afternoon for plant maintenance."