Vasai-Virar’s public gardens wither despite Rs 39 crore allocation for upkeep

Once celebrated as the green lungs of VasaiVirar the cityrsquos gardens and parks have now withered due to neglect Despite the VasaiVirar Municipal Corporation VVMC allocating Rs 39 crore for park repair and maintenance in 202425 most of its 162 public gardens mdash including crematorium grounds scenic gardens childrenrsquos play areas and lake parks mdash are in varying states of decayA decrepit slide stands out amid the general squalor at Achole Talao GardenAcross the city broken swings rusted gym equipment cracked benches and unkempt lawns have turned these oncelively public spaces into hazards for children and senior citizens Playgrounds that once echoed with laughter now lie deserted buried under garbage and weedsParks only on paperIn Nalasopararsquos Sunshine Garden and Vasai Eastrsquos Sativali Garden the neglect is glaring Damaged slides rusted frames and collapsed boundary walls have made the spaces unsafe ldquoItrsquos dangerous to even walk hererdquo said Pratik Patil a resident ldquoBroken tiles no lights and shattered benches make these parks risky mdash especially for the elderlyrdquoSenior citizens say they have been left without safe open spaces ldquoChildren play on broken swings risking injury We often end up sitting on the ground The corporation must act before someone gets hurtrdquo said an elderly residentA broken slide lies unused at Sunshine Garden in NalasoparaMunicipal data shows the highest number of parks mdash 56 mdash are in Ward H NavgharManikpur followed by Ward A Bolinj with 30 and Ward I Vasai Gaon with 20 But residents allege that many exist only on paper while others have been encroached upon or used as dumping groundsLast year one park was even rented out for Ganesh idol sales locals claim ldquoEvery year crores are spent but nothing changesrdquo said activist Charlie Rosario ldquoGarbage piles up near walking tracks and unlit corners have become hangouts for antisocial elements The civic body and corporators are equally responsiblerdquoCivic body promises actionVVMC officials insist repairs are underway ldquoNot all gardens are in poor shaperdquo said Additional Commissioner Sanjay Herwade ldquoWersquove surveyed the parks and assigned civil electrical and water departments for repairs Maintenance has been given to womenrsquos selfhelp groups SHGs and wersquore exploring CSR tieups with corporates and banks for better upkeeprdquoAnother damaged slide at Sativali GardenDeputy Commissioner Swati Deshpande confirmed that all 162 gardens were surveyed ldquoA detailed proposal for repair and replacement has been submitted for approval Once cleared tenders will be floated Wersquore also reaching out to NGOs and private bodies to partner with us for longterm maintenancerdquo she said Deshpande added that SHGs are being trained for upkeep and are paid between Rs 25000 and Rs 52000 per park per month depending on sizelsquoPay hasnrsquot changedrsquoHowever insiders say the system itself is flawed ldquoNo standard rate is fixed per square foot mdash just a lumpsum contractrdquo said a former civic official ldquoAbout 130 SHGs each with 10 members handle park maintenance But when equipment breaks or lights fail itrsquos the corporationrsquos job to fix them People often blame the women unfairlyrdquoHe added that SHG workers are underpaid and overworked ldquoThey toil from 5 am to 8 pm often without lights or water The initiative began as a womenrsquos empowerment project but their pay has been stagnant for years Many parks donrsquot have guards forcing the women to leave early The corporation must provide security welfare support and fair payrdquo he saidHe also revealed that complaints from SHGs often go unanswered ldquoThey send photos and updates but the response is delayed Occasionally a survey happens a few fixes are made and then things go back to the same state The city needs regular recorded maintenance mdash not patchwork repairsrdquo he said For now residents say theyrsquove had enough promises mdash they want their gardens green again