Rainwater Puts Gandhi Park Walkers On Hold For Two Days

Stagnant water covers a major portion of the 450-ft walking pathway; elderly people, children and fitness enthusiasts forced to stay away — walkers seek permanent drainage solution from Municipal Commissioner

PRODDATUR – ANDHRA PRADESH: Hundreds of regular morning and evening walkers have been forced to suspend their daily fitness routine for the past two days at Municipal Gandhi Park, as rainwater has accumulated across a major portion of the walking pathway, making it slippery, difficult and unsafe to use.

The situation has caused considerable inconvenience to elderly walkers, children and regular fitness enthusiasts who depend on the park for their daily exercise. With the stagnant water reportedly reaching around 10 centimetres in depth at places, walkers say they have little option but to skip their routine whenever the pathway becomes inundated.

• 450-ft walking track partly under water

The Gandhi Park has a walking passage extending to around 450 feet, but a substantial portion of the pathway has been covered by rainwater following the recent rains.

The stagnant water has made the surface slippery and virtually unusable for walking. For elderly people in particular, attempting to negotiate the waterlogged stretch could increase the risk of slipping and falling.

Regular walkers said water accumulation on the pathway is not an isolated inconvenience, as they usually have to abandon their walking routine whenever rainwater remains on the track.

• Stagnant water raises health concerns

Apart from disrupting physical activity, prolonged stagnation of rainwater has also raised concerns among park users about mosquitoes and other sanitation-related problems.

Walkers said the purpose of a public park is to provide a clean and safe environment where people can exercise and maintain their physical and mental well-being. Allowing water to remain stagnant on the walking track for days defeats that very purpose.

The inconvenience is not confined to walkers alone. Children, senior citizens and other visitors are also affected whenever large quantities of rainwater remain inside the park.

• No proper drainage arrangement

According to information available from sources familiar with the park’s maintenance, around six staff members and a supervisor are associated with its maintenance.

However, the park reportedly does not have an effective drainage arrangement to safely carry rainwater outside the premises.

In the absence of a proper drainage system, rainwater accumulates on the walking pathway. Walkers have suggested that temporary pumping or diversion arrangements should be made immediately whenever heavy rain results in waterlogging.

• Maintenance response needs greater public sensitivity

Some walkers also expressed disappointment over the response they received when they sought information regarding the stagnant water.

One of the maintenance staff members reportedly told a visitor that pumping out or removing the stagnant water was not part of their duty.

Whatever the division of duties may be, regular park users said that visitors approaching maintenance personnel with genuine civic concerns should receive a proper, courteous and informative response, particularly in a public facility maintained with public funds.

• Women’s gym curtain also needs attention

Meanwhile, women using the gym facility in the park are reportedly facing another inconvenience.

The curtain covering the women’s gym has reportedly been torn and is lying exposed towards the roadside, affecting privacy and causing discomfort to women undertaking their routine exercises.

Walkers urged the authorities to attend to the damaged curtain along with the waterlogging issue so that the park remains a comfortable and dignified space for everyone.

• Walkers seek immediate intervention from Commissioner

Daily walkers have appealed to the Municipal Commissioner to take immediate steps to remove the accumulated water and restore the walking pathway.

They said the request is not merely for temporary pumping after every rainfall but for a permanent solution so that the same problem does not recur whenever there is heavy rain.

They also appealed to the Commissioner to inspect the park personally, assess the drainage problem and instruct the concerned officials to take necessary corrective measures.

• Permanent solution, not repeated temporary relief

Regular walkers suggested several measures that could prevent repeated waterlogging:

Create or improve a proper storm-water drainage system connected to a safe external outlet.

Provide drainage channels, catch pits or soak-away arrangements, wherever technically feasible.

Keep a portable water pump available for emergency removal of accumulated water after heavy rainfall.

Prepare a monsoon maintenance protocol under which stagnant water is inspected and removed promptly after every significant rainfall.

Ensure that maintenance staff have clearly defined responsibilities and that complaints from park users are immediately communicated to the responsible official.

Display a maintenance/complaint contact number at a visible location so that walkers can report waterlogging, damaged facilities and sanitation problems.

Repair the women’s gym curtain immediately and periodically inspect all facilities meant for women and children.

Conduct a pre-monsoon inspection of drainage, pathways and low-lying portions of the park every year.

• A park for wellness should not become a barrier to wellness

Municipal Gandhi Park is intended to provide residents with a place for walking, exercise, recreation and healthy living. When its main walking facility becomes unusable because of rainwater, the people who depend on it for their daily wellness are directly affected.

The walkers’ appeal is therefore simple: remove the water immediately, restore the walking track and, more importantly, create a permanent drainage solution.

They also urged the municipal authorities to ensure that maintenance personnel respond to visitors’ concerns with courtesy and clear information, as public facilities require not only physical maintenance but also responsiveness and accountability.

For hundreds of daily walkers, Gandhi Park is more than an open space. It is part of their daily health routine. Ensuring that the park remains accessible after rainfall would therefore be a small but meaningful investment in the health, fitness and well-being of the city’s residents.

(Source: IAIJ/BIN/DPJB)