Karnataka deputy CM and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar on June 11 said that all 1,200 neighbourhood parks in Bengaluru will remain open from 5am to 10pm.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said, "As a step toward making our garden city more inclusive, all parks maintained by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will remain open to the public from 5am to 10pm. Previously, the timings were between 5am and 10am, and then 1:30pm to 8pm. I urge all responsible citizens to cooperate with BBMP to maintain our parks."
Citing maintenance reasons, parks were closed during afternoon hours (10 am-1:30 pm). However, two of the city's most iconic parks, Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, which fall under the state horticulture department, will continue to have their own separate timings.
Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, also instructed the civic body to fix dysfunctional street lights and deploy additional security guards to ensure safety. "We have also fixed cameras at entrances of all parks," he said.
Citizen groups have been urging the BBMP and the state government to open all parks throughout the day, as these green spaces are crucial for public relaxation and should be accessible to all sections of society, especially during the scorching summer months.
"Bengaluru boasts more than 1200 parks, making it one of the areas with the highest park densities in the country. Almost every ward has a park, and citizens enjoy these spaces for walking, jogging, exercising, socialising, and, importantly, as shelters for outdoor workers during adverse weather conditions. There has been a public demand to keep parks open throughout the day" Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar said extension of park timings by three hours will also help working people who are unable to use the parks due to the current timings.
Increasing green cover
Last year, BBMP planted 1 lakh saplings and distributed 50,000 to the public. 250 schools and their students planted 52,000 saplings. "A website and mobile app have been development for children to monitor their plant's health. This year, we plan to plant 2 lakh saplings, involving more schools and children. 250 schools have already agreed, targeting 75,000 students, with the rest done with police and public assistance. 25,000 saplings have been distributed, with 25,000 more soon to follow" said Shivakumar.
BBMP to use tech
Shivakumar said BBMP had called eight tenders to conduct a Tree Census across the city, with 94,000 trees enumerated so far. "Two wards in the Bommanahalli zone, Vidyapeeta with 4,600 trees and Katriguppe with 4,300 trees, are fully completed. The census will be completed this financial year" he said.
To further increase green cover, BBMP's FECC (forest, environment, and climate change) wing is launching Mapathon events to involve community members in identifying potential green spaces. "A pilot project is underway in Bommanahalli and will extend to all eight zones".
"To address water scarcity, Climate Action Cell is launching a crowdsourcing activity to map open wells, which are vital to Bengaluru's water security. Identified wells will be rejuvenated using a scientific protocol" he said.
Partnering with citizen groups
The deputy CM said Bengaluru is joining Cities4Forests platform, a global alliance of over 95 cities. "This will provide technical support and knowledge sharing. With WRI India as a knowledge partner, Bengaluru becomes the fourth Indian city to join C4F '' he said.
"We will also recognise efforts to make Bengaluru more sustainable with the BluGreenUru Puraskara awards. These awards will acknowledge good work, create awareness, document best practices, and inspire others" he said.
The Climate Action Cell will also launch 'Fellows of Climate Action Cell' programme, recruiting passionate young professionals to support climate actions and project preparation across Bengaluru. "Fellows will receive a stipend and work under the Climate Action Cell's supervision," he said.
Shivakumar said that Bengaluru is benefiting from hundreds of NGOs, RWAs, and civil society organisations dedicated to improving our city. "Over 600 organisations joined the Brand Bengaluru programme. We are committed to citizen participation in governance and welcome input from schools, colleges, corporates, and public sector organisations. To facilitate collaboration, we are launching the Friends of Climate Action Cell Programme. This will allow any organization to join the Bengaluru Climate Action Cell and contribute. We invite all RWAs and NGOs to join this movement to make Bengaluru a BluGreenUru." he adds.
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