The Department of Horticulture is mulling ticketed entry at the city’s iconic Public Gardens, one of the few parks which allows free-of-charge entry to visitors.
The Public Gardens, also known as the Baagh-e-Aam, is considered by residents as an inalienable part of the city’s heritage. It witnesses hundreds of visitors every day, a large chunk of whom are morning walkers.
Speaking to The Hindu, Horticulture Department commissioner L. Venkatrami Reddy said that a meeting with walkers is likely soon, wherein ticketed entry into the Public Gardens will be discussed. “Ticketed entry will allow better security for the walkers and other visitors. More security guards can keep nuisance-makers away. It will also help maintain cleanliness and decency. I am thinking of having a meeting with prominent walkers to discuss the proposal with them,” Mr Reddy said.
He added that maintenance was required in areas where more greenery had been added in the recent past. “I am also thinking of ticketed entry, as we need better maintenance here,” Mr Reddy said.
Proposal to be mooted
While the proposal was yet to be discussed, walkers on Wednesday said that police had been asking them to leave the park early when the Legislative Assembly was in session. Public Gardens Walkers Association president Ghulam Yazdani said that sirens from police vehicles soon after 7 am indicated that visitors must leave the gardens. “We gave several representations to politicians and the police requesting that sirens not be blared in the Public Gardens. But nothing has come of it,” he said.
Other walkers like Ali Asghar, a resident of Lakdikapul, said that he was not allowed in around 6.15 am on Tuesday. “We were turned away from the gate. We were told that a dharna was being organised there. The case was the same on the first day of the Assembly session,” he said.
The area is cleared of visitors by 8 am.