A playground at Kengeri in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
On a cloudy Tuesday afternoon, Mahesh brought his daughter, who studies in kindergarten, to the NTI Ground in Vidyaranyapura. The playground, maintained by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has a basketball court, cricket nets, and ample open space for children to play.
“This is our routine,” said Mr. Mahesh. “I bring her here to play after school and then take her home. Later in the evening, once she’s done with her schoolwork, we head to the nearby parks.”
Engaging children offline
As concerns about the negative impact of social media on children grow, so does the question: “How can we engage children outside of the digital world?” For working parents, this challenge is particularly acute. While some families can afford to enrol their children in formal sports training, the spotlight now falls on the availability and condition of public play spaces in the city.
According to BBMP data, Bengaluru has 1,146 parks and 256 playgrounds. However, disparities in their distribution remain stark. For instance, the South Zone boasts 342 parks and 97 playgrounds, while the Mahadevapura Zone, which includes rapidly growing areas like Whitefield, has just 26 parks and three playgrounds.
“Especially in Whitefield, there are hardly any parks,” said a resident. “There’s one in Nallurahalli, but it’s poorly maintained. We even submitted a list of potential public lands for parks and playgrounds, but nothing has come of it.”
Maintenance and safety concerns
Even where parks and playgrounds exist, issues of safety and maintenance persist. In September, an 11-year-old boy lost his life in Malleswaram when an iron gate fell on him. “These days, it gets dark earlier, and the floodlights here don’t work,” said Santosh, a football coach at NTI Ground. “It’s dangerous for children to play in such conditions.”
In Halasuru, Bharat Kumar, a resident whose daughter trains at a hockey academy in a BBMP playground, shared similar frustrations. “Seven years ago, funds were allocated to build a gallery here, but construction was abandoned midway. Now, the half-built structures are a haven for alcoholics and drug addicts.”
Parents believe improving basic amenities would encourage more families to use these spaces. Suggestions include adequate washroom facilities, drinking water, lounges, and changing rooms.
(With inputs from A. Malvika Mahalaxmi, Malvika Mishra, Humeera Banoo, Anil Bani)
Published – November 14, 2024 06:50 am IST
