Gurgaon: In a city where play areas for children are so few and far between, RWA members of Sector 46 have identified six government plots in the neighbourhood that have not been allotted and turned into dumpyards. They have cleaned up one and converted it into a sporting area for children by setting up a badminton court and a tennis court. Similar initiatives will be taken on the remaining plots, the RWA has said.
“Our children wanted a playground within the sector. Now they can easily mingle and make new friends at a time when there is more craze for mobile and online games,” said Richa Tiwari, a resident of the sector.
The RWA has invested around Rs 2 lakh for the development of the play area. Residents say the plot was lying abandoned for the past many years and marred with garbage, C&D waste and wild bushes. “We received multiple requests from parents to have a safe space for their children to play. The playground will serve two purposes as it will make the sector cleaner and keep our children healthy,” said RK Yadav, RWA president.
Moreover, the RWA has identified five more such sites, which have not been allotted yet and become dumpyards. “There are several sites in the sector which are attracting nothing but garbage, adding to our problems. We are planning to develop five more playgrounds in the sector by March next year and will add more outdoor game facilities like volleyball,” Yadav added.
Residents are rejoicing at the development. Pramod Dixit, a senior citizen, said, “It is a welcome move as now the kids have dedicated space to play. Women and senior citizens often get hit by balls while walking in the park where children play in the absence of a proper area, besides damage to the plants.”