There is some good news for park-goers. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has extended the timings of all parks coming under its jurisdiction for the benefit of walkers as well as other members of the public.
In a circular on Thursday, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath stated that the parks would stay open from 5 am to 8 pm. The previous timings were 5 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 8 pm.
Conditions apply
But there is a rider. The parks will stay shut to the public from 10 am to 1.30 pm "for maintenance". Effectively, the parks will stay open for another two-and-a-half hour every day.
The BBMP's decision has cheered many, especially gig workers, who had no place to sit and relax during work breaks.
The decision will apply to all the 1,118 parks that come under the BBMP, Chandrashekhar M R, deputy director in the BBMP's horticulture department, told DH.
The three-and-a-half-hour window (10 am to 1.30 pm) is required for cleaning, sweeping the park and watering the plants, he added.
Besides the BBMP, many parks in Bengaluru are owned and maintained by the BDA, the BWSSB and the state Horticulture Department.
Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, two of the city's largest and most well-known parks, come under the state Horticulture Department and have their own timings.