City’s playgrounds shrink amid events, dumping debris & parking

Nagpur: With summer vacations fast approaching, the deteriorating condition of several playgrounds across the city has come under spotlight. Open grounds meant for children's recreation are increasingly being used as garbage dumping sites, venues for cultural programmes, parking lots, or storage spaces for construction debris, severely restricting access for everyday play.While localities such as Ravi Nagar and Shivaji Nagar, as well as areas in southwest Nagpur like Trimurti Nagar and Pratap Nagar enjoy relatively better access to green spaces, several other neighbourhoods remain deprived. In many cases, grounds have effectively turned into permanent event venues, leaving little room for regular recreational use.
The Kachh Visa ground in Lakadganj is frequently seen hosting large gatherings and events rather than serving as a neighbourhood hangout for youngsters. Despite having a jogging track and green gym equipment installed, the space is rarely accessible to common residents during much of the year.The Laxmi Nagar ground has virtually transformed into a community parking lot, forcing children to play on adjacent roads. The space suffers from poor maintenance — no perimeter fencing, broken slides and swings, and uneven surfaces — turning what should be a play area into a potential safety hazard.Another open space in Laxmi Nagar, located next to Hanuman temple, currently has a large pandal erected despite no festival or celebration underway. The ground remains locked, and boundary walls are being constructed around it. What was once a community play area is steadily morphing into a glorified celebration venue.In Gopal Nagar's SBI Colony, construction activity is underway on an existing playground — a matter earlier reported by TOI — further shrinking available recreational space for children. Similarly, the Hanuman Nagar Corporation ground doubles up as a part-time parking spot. The Ram Nagar garden too has evolved into a multipurpose event hub rather than a dedicated children's play space. Every Saturday, it functions as a parking lot. "The ground frequently hosts exhibitions and fairs and sets up cracker stalls ahead of Diwali. For much of the remaining time, however, the gates remain locked — leaving local children with little or no access," said a local resident.Taking serious note of the issue, the Nagpur bench of Bombay HC had earlier initiated a suo motu public interest litigation (SMPIL) to examine the condition and preservation of playgrounds in the city. Concerned over the absence of a designated playground in Hindustan Colony on Amravati Road, the HC had ordered the issue of open recreational spaces be examined across the city after a TOI report of Feb 16 highlighted that the approved layout of Hindustan Colony did not earmark any land for a playground. HC had directed that the scope of the petition should not remain confined to one locality but extend to other parts of Nagpur as well.According to a source from NMC's Nuisance Detection Squad, the team's mandate is limited to clearing obstructions from roads, and playgrounds do not automatically fall within its jurisdiction. "We cannot initiate suo motu action in such cases. However, if a complaint is received stating that playgrounds are being encroached upon or obstructed by such structures, we act promptly to remove them," the official said.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !