Innumerable glitzy expos later, KP unfit to be a playground

Nagpur: Kasturchand Park (KP), the historical playground and grade-1 heritage open space, is now unfit to be a playground. The surface layer of the soil has become undulated and dotted with stones and gravel. Though this is a big loss to sportspersons and citizens, and also a violation of heritage norms, the city heritage conservation committee is not taking any action.
Taking serious cognisance of the damage to KP and to make it available for sportsperson and citizens, the district administration had stopped renting out a major portion of KP for commercial activities and melas, and also banned the circus from here in 2012. Unfortunately, collector Sachin Kurve allowed the entire ground to be given for commercial activities and also permitted the circus to operate from here for the last one year.
KP’s sprawling area of 50,076.30 sq m (12.37 acres) was rented out to commercial activities and melas for last 15-20 days. Now, only the circus and one commercial activity is underway. After removal of commercial activities and melas, the playground’s surface layer is no longer plain.
Once a flat ground, KP’s surface layer is now not even suitable to drive two-wheelers or four-wheelers. After light showers, many parts of KP had become muddy. KP’s surface layer has been destroyed by the constant digging by organizers to put up temporary structures for the commercial activities and melas. Ground restoration work has never been done properly, even though it is part of the conditions of getting permission for any event, making the situation worse.
Besides, the playground is littered with huge quantity of garbage and temporary construction waste. The quantity was a lot higher a day ago, but some of it was cleaned up by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday morning.
As usual, collector Sachin Kurve did not respond to TOI’s call and messages.
Activist TH Naidu told TOI that many great cricket players like CK Nayudu, T Surayya, TS Naidu etc have played and practised daily at KP. “It was a very good ground for playing games like football and hockey, which need a smooth surface layer. KP was destroyed due to the regular commercial activities. Now, no one can play games like football, hockey, kabaddi, kho kho etc on the ground,” he said.
Naidu added that KP was once famous for citizens spending time there in the morning and evening. “Now, very few people come to KP to spend some leisure time. Most of the times the ground is filled with commercial activities. When there are no commercial activities, the ground is in no condition to visit,” he said.
The district administration has continued to give permission to commercial activities on a large scale in KP, without ensuring restoration in proper manner. Several NGOs, including Parivartan Citizens Forum, and sports body like Krida Prabodhini and Slum Soccer, along with individuals and public representatives have lodged complaints with the district administration to stop permitting circus and commercial activities on the ground.
One of the top officials of district administration too had opposed permitting used of KP for the circus. However, Kurve continued to permit the circus and other commercial activities to occupy the ground almost the entire time.