Indira Park

Indira Park
Type Public park
Location Hyderabad, India
Coordinates 17°24′53″N 78°28′59″E / 17.414754°N 78.483045°E / 17.414754; 78.483045Coordinates: 17°24′53″N 78°28′59″E / 17.414754°N 78.483045°E / 17.414754; 78.483045
Operated by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
Status Open all year

Indira Park is a public greenspace and park in the heart of Hyderabad, India. The foundation stone for the Indira Park was laid during September 1975 by Late Faqruddin Ahmed, the then president of India and it was open for the people in the year 1978 with complete landscaping.Indira Park is having 76 acres (31 ha) of area.[1] The park is managed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. It is located in Domalguda, a residential locality which lies along the Hussain Sagar lake. The park contains an award-winning rock garden designed by a commissioner of customs and excise duty.

Facilities

In 2001, the civic authorities of Hyderabad planned to construct a rock garden inside the park. Besides the garden, which was to be constructed over an area of 2 acres (0.81 ha), other recreational facilities were planned to be set up. A man-made desert and purification of the lake within the park so as to enable a boating facility were also to be taken up. These new plans were to assist the park in its promotion as a tourist destination.[2] Subrata Basu, the then local commissioner of customs and excise duty, had earlier succeeded with a similar rock sanctuary in Shilparamam, an arts and handicrafts village near Hyderabad. In 2002, the rock garden was readied as per the ideas of Basu's designs. While explaining his zeal in design the garden, Basu said that the natural rock formations were in danger from real estate developers. He only wished to preserve them.[3] In the same year, the local government honored Basu's contribution with an award.[4]

Sandalwood trees are spread across the park's interiors. Though the sandalwood is inferior in its quality as compared to trees growing in other regions, the bark could be used as firewood and can also be used as an ingredient in cosmetics products.[5]

As a center of agitations

The park has been a center of agitations by various strata of the society since early 2000. Rallies or sit-ins have been organized towards achieving goals by dalit rights groups,[6] auto rickshaws unions,[7] students and teachers,[8][9] political leaders,[10][11] and others. On an average, three such rallies are given permission by the local authorities.[12]

Due to these rallies, normal life has been affected. Mainly school children, college students and medical emergencies get affected because of the traffic that is caused by people congregating for these rallies. Though the local police designs a plan for the participants, their inability to control their movement results in traffic jams.[12] Due to this infamy, the local media satirically proposed new names such as Dharna Chowk, "Dharnagunj" and "Dharnaguda" to Domalguda, the area that houses the park.[13] Despite a ban on such rallies in the arterial routes of the city, the local police remained ineffective in enforcing this.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.ghmc.gov.in/parks/indirapark.asp
  2. ↑ "Rock garden to adorn Indira park". The Times of India. 17 August 2001. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  3. ↑ V. N., Harinath (8 March 2002). "Rock wonders". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  4. ↑ Gupta, Jayant (14 October 2004). "Nature art redefined, with Customs touch". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  5. ↑ "Sandalwood thieves chop trees". The Times of India. 19 March 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Dalit Swadhikar Rally to reach City tomorrow". The Hindu. 2 January 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Auto unions call for indefinite stir". The Times of India. 2 February 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  8. ↑ Ram, Mrityunjay (29 February 2004). "Govt apathy drives Hindi Pandits to suicide". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  9. ↑ "SFI decries commercialisation of education". The Hindu. 18 November 2005. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  10. ↑ "TDP, Left want ORR put on hold". The Hindu. 23 August 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  11. ↑ "Leaders and activists of Left parties for relay hunger strike". The Hindu. 24 July 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  12. 1 2 "When chaos becomes the order of the day". The Times of india. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2010. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  13. ↑ "Come, sit, protest...". The Hindu. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  14. ↑ Marri, Ramu (26 February 2007). "Damn! these dharnas are a nightmare". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
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