Soon, complete ban on vehicles inside Lalbagh

Making Lalbagh Botanical Gardens a ‘walkers’ paradise and adding more green initiatives, the horticulture department has decided to enforce a complete ban on vehicles inside the park, including those of the horticulture department.

The ban, according to the department, will be implemented effectively in the next one-and-half months and all officials and visitors to the horticulture directorate in Lalbagh will have to use either the battery operated vehicles or walk.

Taking part in a meeting chaired by Horticulture Minister M C Managuli to discuss problems of walkers and joggers that were raised during the Janaspandana event organised by Deccan Herald and Prajavani on November 26 at Lalbagh, horticulture director Y S Patil announced that the department will soon ban vehicles inside the park.

Views of several walkers and joggers at Janaspandana, who sought a ban on vehicles inside the park, were conveyed to the government. The department, which has already banned public vehicles, has also agreed to ban the movement of government vehicles including that of the horticulture department and their staffers.

“All the visitors to Lalbagh, including me and our officials, will have to park their vehicles at the designated parking area and make use of buggies (battery operated vehicles) to reach any of our offices inside the garden. Those willing to walk the distance are free to do so. We require one-and-half months to implement the ban as we require four to five battery operated vehicles whose procurement will take about one-and-half months,” Patil announced.

The director also clarified that a separate log book will be maintained at the parking lot for those who wish to visit the offices and they can use the buggies after registering in the book. Unlike the existing buggies — Harini Express — with a seating capacity of 10-12 people, the new ones will seat only four.

Keeping in mind the requirement of the walkers and joggers who visit the park as early as 5.30 am, joint director of horticulture Dr Jagadish said directions have been given to toilet contractors to keep them open at 5:30 am. Acknowledging that the revolving gate at Siddapur gate is broken, deputy director of Lalbagh Chandrashekhar agreed to repair it immediately.

The horticulture officials also agreed to level the uneven walking path near the RV Teachers’ College corner in a couple of days. The officials also said they have made provisions for hawkers in about eight designated areas. The officials said they will look into suggestions of setting up diffused lights for walking paths early in the morning.

K N Tilak Kumar, Joint Managing Director of The Printers (Mysore) Pvt Ltd thanked Horticulture Minister Managuli and his team of officials for resolving walkers’ problems. M Nagaraj, Assistant Editor, Prajavani and Harsh Mittal, Chief Manager (Brand), TPML were present during the meeting.