Rourkela: Due to negligence of officials of the local administration, two parks meant for children in Bonai town are in complete shambles, locals said. These two parks were inaugurated a few years back with a lot of fanfare.
Currently, they wear a dilapidated look. “When the parks were set up, all of us were happy. Now no one visits the parks anymore because they are in shambles,” said Rabindra Pradhan, a resident of Bonai town. The park in front of the ‘Niyam Centre’ still has a few iron bars and poles for kids to ride on. However, other stuff like slides and swings have gone missing.
Interestingly, the park is located in a high-security area with top officials of Bonai town staying close to the park. “Despite the park being located in a VIP area, no one is bothered about its maintenance,” opined another local. The disappearance of lights and the untamed growth of plants have given the park a ‘haunted’ look. People stay away from it once dusk sets in. Likewise, the other park in front of the Sri Aurobindo School is no better. The place is now a safe haven for anti-social. All the installations and beautifications have long disappeared. Bonai sub-collector Suranjan Sahoo assured that the matter will be looked into once Bonai gets NAC status. “We will take all measures to restore the beauty of the parks, once the elections are over,” Sahoo said.