How to keep parks in Bengaluru open for longer hours and also safe, debate residents Premium

On April 18 this year, a 46-year-old man stabbed his female friend to death minutes before he was killed by the mother of the woman at Sarakki Park in J.P. Nagar. The incident left the residents around and regular visitors to the park in shock.

On April 18 this year, a 46-year-old man stabbed his female friend to death minutes before he was killed by the mother of the woman at Sarakki Park in J.P. Nagar. The incident left the residents around and regular visitors to the park in shock.

Less than two months after the incident, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced on June 11 that all 1,200 neighbourhood parks in Bengaluru will remain open for 17 hours a day — from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. — on all days.

This move has been welcomed by people who need the public spaces to rest, such as gig workers like food delivery personnel or daily wagers in construction and other sectors. Many fitness enthusiasts and regular walkers are also happy with the move. But with the increasing crime rates in the city, and lack of staff and facilities in parks, the move to open parks for longer hours has raised concerns about safety.

On his part, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to fix dysfunctional streetlights in all parks and on roads. Authorities had also fixed cameras at the entrances of all parks, he said.

But is that enough? Residents, former civic authorities and environmentalists fear that the extension of the park timings could raise concerns and cause problems for residents around the parks. 

Speaking to The Hindu, Suresh Kumar, a resident of Jayanagar, who lives opposite one among the many lines of parks on R.V. Road, says that the extension of park timings is only going to add to the existing nuisance and unsafe environment. “I have lived here all my life, and in a city that is growing drastically, we are privileged to live right in front of a park. However, there are some visitors who get food and liquor into the park and litter the area,” he says. Suresh adds that at times there are people screaming, shouting or even playing music on speakers. “There are many schools and colleges around, and we have noticed that students come here and get into fights, minors indulge in intimate acts, as parks are the only place where they get some privacy”, he added. 

He said that these parks do not have CCTV cameras or security guards who go around the park round the clock. “Extending the timings of the park will only add to the existing nuisance, and may create newer problems,” Suresh argues.