It’s been over three years since any development body took interest in maintenance of the Silver Jubilee Park in Sector 31. The park, which is about 200 metres wide and 750 metres long, is a green lung for the area along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

In absence of maintenance, the condition of greenery in the park, its walkways, boundary wall, lights, water fountains and other facilities are degrading day by day, members of Sector 31 residents’ welfare association said.

“This park has been facing perennial sewer overflow problem that the HSVP failed to fix. After notification of the GMDA by the Haryana government in 2016, HSVP completely stopped taking interest in the park’s maintenance. In the past three years, many trees dried, water fountains became dysfunctional, boundary wall got damaged in places and there is no light at all. People now rarely visit this park due to its degrading condition,” RWA joint secretary JR Awasthi said.

RWA members said that the park, which was once visited the park regularly by residents of Sector 30, 31, 41, 40, 39, Jharsa and other adjoining areas when it was green, has been lying in a state of neglect even after the HSVP transferred it to the GMDA in September last year. According to the RWA, master sewer line of GMDA is passing through this green belt and it overflows at three places where chambers are located.

Water fountain of Silver Jubilee Park is not functional. ( Parveen Kumar/HT Photo )

“During the rainy season, sewage overflow becomes a big problem as it completely inundates this huge park. This has been adversely affecting the park’s soil and damaging roots of trees. In November last year, the GMDA officials inspected the park and prepared an estimate of Rs 35 lakh to improve its condition by erecting a boundary wall, repairing water fountains. But the estimate has not been cleared.

“The additional CEO told us that sewer overflow problem has to be first resolved otherwise it will be wastage of public money,” area councilor Ashini Sharma said, adding that they will seek appointment with GMDA CEO V Umashankar next week to discuss the issue.

The Sector 31 RWA and area councilor met GMDA additional chief executive officer MD Sinha, on Tuesday to seek clarity on the park’s maintenance.

ACEO Sinha said, “The sewer overflow has been a long standing problem in the park and that is why we have not been doing maintenance. However, sewer problem will be resolved by the civil engineering wing and they are looking into it.”

The officials of GMDA’s civil engineering wing said they have taken note of the sewer problem.

GMDA chief engineer Lalit Arora, who was also present during the residents’ meeting with the ACEO, said, “A team of engineers will visit the park to inspect sewer problem on Wednesday and they will prepare an action plan accordingly. We will resolve the sewer overflow problem by April-end.”

First Published: Mar 13, 2019 04:09 IST