VALPOI: When Hafeeza Sayed, two-year-old daughter wants to go to the park, Valpoi residents must travel 44 km long to Panaji.
And he is not the only one.
Once upon a time, the city of Sattari boasted beautiful children’s parks, where toddlers would gather at night, as well as senior citizens for fresh air.
But because the development project took over the city, left to rot.
Over the past 12 years, there has been no garden maintenance, which caused its setback.
Other parents say that parks in Valpoi have been flooded with grass and vines.
Playing equipment is now hidden behind this grass, broken and rusty, in such a way that it must be fully replaced.
The source said that Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC) has chosen two locations in his jurisdiction where a garden is proposed, as part of a beauty project, but so far, the plan is only on paper.
Recently, during the Civic Poll campaign, many prominent citizens demanded that this park be updated, so senior citizens and children can use them for recreational purposes.
The VMC board also held a meeting about this problem.
RAMDAS SHIRODKAR board members told TII that the Board would take the ‘Park-cum-Entrepreneur Center’ project, which was once sent to the city administration directorate, and a nod accepted.
“Because the Civic poll, the follow-up of the file is not done, and now the same proposal will be taken because there is a public request for it,” Shirodkar said.
Other member members, Idris Shaikh said that it was the need for hours to have operational children’s parks in the city like Valpoi, because it was Sattari Taluka’s headquarters, which consisted of several villages.
“This project will benefit children and senior citizens of all Taluka, and provide the right place to spend their free time,” he said.
The VMC Board further said they would soon meet the Minister of Health and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane and discussed this problem with him, asking him to do work.
“We have hope in our MLA and he will definitely take this job based on priority,” said Board Member.
The source also told TII that the proposal for ‘sustainable children’s parks’ was sent through VMC in 2016.
The proposed project consisted of children’s play area, pit sand, jogger trail, cafeteria, exhibition space for exhibition groups, lawn, Area, decking, seating area for senior citizens, and parking.
This project is designed as a recreation area, and also as a source of income.