Pay and walk in this park

Bangalore Mirror; Atul Chaturvedi; Tuesday, October 05, 2010

BBMP ex-commissioner’s order allowing Sadashivanagar RWA to collect park entry fees draws ire

Should public parks adopted by residents’ welfare associations be allowed to collect entry fees from users? The question has come to the fore after an RTI applicant obtained details of a BBMP park adoption contract.

In 2000, the Sadashivanagar RWA was allowed to maintain the Low Level Park in the neighbourhood (ward 35). This year, the park was the first of the 34 adopted parks to be officially allowed to collect entry fees. But the RWA has allegedly been collecting fees from walkers even earlier.

While BBMP is not coming out in the open, civic officials are reportedly divided on the issue. While some officials justify the fees on the ground of park maintenance, the taxation committee feels it will open a Pandora’s box as most of the adopted parks are run by RWAs. According to civic sources, the Sadashivanagar RWA’s move to collect fees was approved following pressure from the residents, many of them high-profile bureaucrats and politicians, who do not want people from neighbouring areas like Guttahalli ‘gatecrashing’ the park.
Local resident L S Mallikarjun wrote several letters to BBMP between Sept 2009 and Jan 2010 for details on the adoption scheme, but got no response. It was his RTI application which worked.

The reply of the joint director (horticulture) said the park was given to the Sadashivanagar RWA under an adoption contract for the years 2000-03 and 2006-09. The contract clearly mentions that the park should be developed and maintained by the adopting agency at its own cost, in return for which its name can be displayed prominently in the park.

Interestingly, the then BBMP commissioner Bharat Lal Meena issued an order on May 10 this year extending the contract for another three years, without consulting the standing committee. The order allows the RWA to collect Rs 3 from walkers on weekdays and Rs 4 on weekends and public holidays. The order provides for a monthly season pass of Rs 25 for single entry, a ‘double entry’ pass of Rs 40 and a family pass for four members of Rs 75. Over and above this, the RWA is charging Rs 1,000 as a ‘donation’ for season passes.

‘ORDER ILLEGAL’

Finance and taxation committee chairman Sadashiva said, “The commissioner doesn’t have any power to allow RWAs or NGOs to run a park for three years. He can only allow it for 11 months, while the standing committee can allow it for three years and the state government for five years. The former commissioner’s order has not been approved by the standing committee and is thus illegal. The order will be cancelled and people will be allowed to enter the park freely.”

Mallikarjun has sent copies of his correspondence to the chief minister and governor, asking them to look into the matter.

RWA justifies decision
Sadashivanagar RWA secretary BK Jagdish Chandra said, “The BBMP commissioner fixed a fees chart and we are following it. We have done nothing illegal. We are collecting Rs 1000 as a donation for a season pass. If we don’t do so, we won’t be able to maintain the park. We need Rs 40,000 every month for the overheads.”

Nothing wrong: Lok Ayukta

Lok Ayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, who stays near the park, said, “There is nothing wrong in collecting fees from walkers. The RWA needs money to maintain the park. I used to pay them when they were charging Rs 2 some years ago. I have stopped going there as I have a knee problem.”