Chitaguppi Park becomes a den for illegal parking

Hubballi: Chitaguppi Park, one of the important lung spaces in Hubballi, has turned into a parking space. Vehicles belonging to the Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) are being parked in the park which is located just beside office of the HDMC commissioner.
Hubballi is reeling under severe heat and people who visit the Chitaguppi hospital or the HDMC office used to relax in the park. Now they are finding it difficult to do it as many vehicles are being parked inside the park.

The irony is that HDMC has deployed a security personnel at the park’s entrance to divert motorists in to the park. Many former corporators, officials and others are parking their vehicles there.

The guard deployed at the park’s entrance said vehicles are being parked in the park since over a week. “Officials themselves have instructed us to divert vehicles to the park” he said.

He added that people who park their vehicles in the park sometimes pay Rs 10-15 for parking.

Apart from visitors of the HDMC office, other people too are parking here just to avoid paying the parking fee levied on major roads of the city, he added.

Visitors have been complaining about the construction debris that is dumped in Chitaguppi Park. Now they have to also contend with the parked vehicles.

Dr M C Sindhur, a practicing doctor and social activist said, “It is very unfortunate that we are gradually losing the identity of the city. Allowing parking inside the park is very painful. If the garden made a parking space, then monumental things will be destroyed” he apprehended.

S C Bewoor, PRO, HDMC, said he is unaware of vehicles being parked inside Chitaguppi Park.

“There is no permission for parking inside the garden. We will look into it and initiate immediate action,” he added.