Without security, citizens wary about late evening walks in park
BBMP parks lack adequate security for 10 pm opening; many dark spots will make them a haven for anti-social elements, raising safety concerns
–Senior citizen
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has created a hotline for citizens to report if they are denied entry to BBMP parks during designated hours, between 5 am and 10 pm.According to the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Management Cell of the BBMP, this initiative follows numerous complaints from residents about parks being locked during official hours, restricting access to public spaces meant for recreation and fitness.To address these concerns, the BBMP has set up multiple channels for lodging complaints. Citizens can reach out through theat 1533, send a WhatsApp message to 9480685700, or use the Sahaaya 2.0 mobile application. Email submissions are also accepted. Officials have encouraged complainants to include photographic evidence, when possible, to support their grievances.While the move is aimed at enforcing standard park hours, it has raised fresh concerns among regular park users about safety during the late evening hours. Many believe that without sufficient security infrastructure, the parks could become vulnerable to misuse.'I live in Nagarbhavi and visit several BBMP parks in the area. None of them have adequate security arrangements to stay open until 10 pm. There are several dark patches that make these parks unsafe,' said a senior citizen.A regular visitor to Zen Park in the same area shared a similar sentiment. 'Zen Park is spread out over a large area but is manned by only one security guard. We've seen groups of men consuming alcohol inside. One guard alone cannot handle such issues,' the resident noted.In June last year, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced revised park timings across Bengaluru, directing that all parks remain open from 5 am to 10 pm.However, reports indicate that many parks continued to operate on older schedules, prompting frustration among citizens and leading to the BBMP's recent action.Following the complaints, the Special Commissioner for Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Management appealed to the public last week to report any denial of entry at the city's 1,287 BBMP parks. A circular clearly stated that no BBMP park can refuse entry during the designated hours.Despite this directive, residents remain concerned about safety. They are demanding not just compliance, but improvements—such as more security personnel, better lighting, and CCTV installations.'Poor lighting increases safety risks. Parks in Koramangala have several dark spots that need urgent attention,' said Janet SK Yegneswaran, a senior citizen.Similar security issues have also been raised by residents in Indiranagar and other parts of the city.
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