GVMC to develop three new parks, 40 more gyms in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (

GVMC

) will develop three public parks in various zones located in the suburbs of the city with about Rs 7 crore. These include Swatantra Nagar

Park

in Zone I, Satyanagar Park in Zone VI and HB Colony Park in Gajuwaka Zone.

Considering the fact that all the parks are located at the heart of the city, the GVMC wants to create leisure and lung spaces in a bigger area for the residents. While the bidder has been finalised for Swatantra Nagar Park, the project of two other parks is at the tendering stage.

GVMC officials have envisioned new landscape strategies for these parks, including play areas, gardens and walkways, multi-utility play equipment, etc.

GVMC commissioner M Hari Narayanan said, the three parks will be developed and maintained by the GVMC. “All the city-level parks, maintained by either the GVMC or Vuda, are limited to the core of the city. Now, we will develop three parks in the suburbs,” said Hari Narayanan.

Assistant director of horticulture (GVMC) M Damodara Rao said that the development of these parks is divided into two major components — garden and play area. “Apart from the infrastructure, the parks will have open gyms and courts for basketball, volleyball, badminton and others. Swatantra Nagar Park will also have an

amphitheatre

,” said Damodara Rao.

The GVMC has developed 13 residential colony parks under public-private partnership mode in 2017-18 financial year. About 26 parks have been proposed to be established this financial year. While the Resident Welfare Associations have to bear one-third of the expenditure to be incurred, the GVMC will provide the two- thirds grant in aid.

Hari Narayanan said that they are ready to develop more colony parks if the number of applications exceeds even 26. “We want to take the initiative of open gyms, established at 15 public places/parks, further given the good response from the public. Tenders have been called to set up open gyms at 40 more places in the city,” said the commissioner.