Open gym in 100 parks: First one comes up at Aliganj's Sector Q in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Residents will no more have to burn a hole in their pocket with an expensive gym membership to get fit as 100 prominent parks of the city will soon have open gyms.
These gyms will be constructed by Lucknow Municipal Corporation with help from funds of Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) under the corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The foundation for the project was laid at Maharana Pratap Park Sector Q Aliganj where the first such gym was inaugurated by MLC Mukesh Sharma, BJP leader Neeraj Singh, and MLA Dr Neeraj Bora on Sunday.
Addressing the event, they said that defence minister and Lucknow MP, Rajnath Singh had inspired the HAL to take an initiative to establish an open gym in the parks of Lucknow so people can remain fit. They informed that the LMC will install the equipment in these parks in two years. The corporation would install 16 pieces of equipment, which would include an elliptical cross trainer, a recumbent cycle, two-person parallel dip stations, a two-person full bar exerciser, Tai chi spinner and others with a cost of Rs 12.5 lakh per park.
"Altogether Rs 12.68 crore will be given by HAL in two phases for this work. In the first phase, 35 parks will be identified, and gyms will be established in the next three months with Rs 3.8 crore. Thereafter, a second phase will be initiated, and 64 parks will get gyms with Rs 8.8 crore," said chief taxation officer, LMC Ashok Singh.
Meanwhile, former minister Mohsin Raza, former mayor Sanyukta Bhatia, HAL GM Sunil Srivastava, and LMC officials tried their hands on the gym equipment installed in the park.
MLC Mukesh Sharma said, "People doing morning and evening walks will get a lot of health benefits."
BJP leader, Neeraj Singh said, "Exercise helps the mind, brain, and body to work in the same direction."