Free table tennis, basketball courts

Work on Friend’s Park in Sector 3 begins

By NIRMALA G

HSR Layout is really blessed with activists like HM Javali ensuring that the lung spaces don’t get gobbled up by land sharks. As secretary of Sector 3 Residents Welfare Association, he was instrumental in the upkeep and improvising of the twin park and the birth of Swabhimaana Tree Park, both in Sector 3. There is another park on 18th main that would not have come up if not for his effort: Friend’s Park behind NH Narayana Hospital.

When BDA had all but decided to give up the site for residential purpose, Javali approached the Department of Youth Services & Sports to take possession of the park before it’s too late as it was granted to them by the BDA in 2012. The department realised its folly and fenced the park to prevent encroachment. However, in the latest master plan by the previous state government, this portion of the land was shown as a residential area.

It is also alleged that some government officials had helped in the encroachment of 3500 sq. ft. space of the park. When the Sector 3 association wrote a letter to the BDA and sports department, the encroachment was removed in the north-west side of the Friend’s Park.

To prevent further encroachment, the Department of Youth Services & Sports has now decided to build a free basketball and tennis court, an open gym and a children’s play area for Rs 90 lakh in phase 1. These facilities should come up by the end of this year, if all goes well. “The next stage will see a borewell and a small office for their department,” says Narayanaswamy, the executive committee member of Sector 3 association. “With suggestions from residents like us who live in the vicinity, the department has decided to build a walking track and leave a small portion for the children’s play area. We are also requesting one toilet inside the park for the visitors.”

Since the department has no independent source of revenue, it has to depend on the government for funds. The 9080-metre park was handed over by the BDA to the sports department on May 21, 2012. The work has already begun. The encroached area is fenced and the ground is being levelled. “The residents are thankful to Mr Javali without whose help, this ground would not have been around,” says Narayanaswamy.