3 months ago
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In a metropolis starved of harmless nationalist spaces for women, Delhi’s Mahila (women’s) Parks remain rare pockets of comfort, despite galore being successful “bad condition”.
For 41-year-old Vidya Devi, who works arsenic a home assistance and travels regular from Khajoori Khas successful north-east Delhi, Daryaganj’s Hindi Park has been a regular halt for 4 years. She meets friends present aft 3 p.m. “This plot is similar my home. We person our luncheon here, talk, unbend a spot and past permission astir 5,” she said. For Ms. Vidya’s friend, Durga Devi, the regular sojourn offers companionship. “My location is cramped. I ne'er skip a day,” she said.
According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) data, determination are 23 women-only parks crossed 18 municipal wards successful the Capital. Several are not standalone parks, but sections demarcated for women wrong larger nationalist parks. The civic assemblage plans to allocate ₹2 crore successful the coming fiscal year for these parks. Leader of the House Parvesh Wahi said ₹5 lakh volition beryllium earmarked for the attraction of each Mahila park. “The existing parks are successful atrocious condition. We person allocated funds to hole regular upkeep and repair works,” helium said. In areas with larger parks and higher footfall by women, sections tin beryllium exclusively marked, Mr. Wahi said.
“This cannot hap everywhere, but we tin instrumentality the inaugural successful wards with bigger parks. With enactment from the section and the public, we tin people 100 to 150 parks arsenic women-only,” helium said.
Promises unfulfilled
In 2023, the Aam Aadmi Party-led MCD projected identifying “pink parks” successful each 250 wards, promising toilets, CCTV cameras and gym facilities. That connection remains largely unfulfilled.
Inside the Daryaganj park, the lone women’s washroom is locked. Ms. Vidya said gym instrumentality was removed aft it broke down. “This is conscionable 1 plot successful the country that is escaped and lone for women. There aren’t any parks wherever I live, fto unsocial 1 conscionable for women,” she said. The horticulture section oversees astir 1,500 parks citywide, but faces a terrible manpower crunch arsenic implicit one-third of caretaker posts remain vacant. Officials accidental this has straight affected maintenance.
Public outreach
Mr. Wahi pointed to nationalist information arsenic 1 solution. “If NGOs oregon RWAs negociate a park, we wage them ₹13,500 per period portion the Delhi authorities gives ₹16,000. We privation amended upkeep done nationalist partnership,” helium said.
A 10-minute locomotion distant lies Purdah Bagh, 1 of the aged women’s parks from the assemblage era, dispersed crossed 5 acres successful constrictive by-lanes. In the morning, women capable its walking tracks. Some workout portion others beryllium successful groups. Sofia, 31, a regular visitor, said the parkland offers relief. “Women who observe purdah consciousness comfy removing their burqas here. One feels harmless without scrutiny,” she said. Another specified parkland adjacent Jama Masjid remains shut. “Even though boys supra 10 are not allowed, men travel in. We inquire caretakers to archer them to leave, but they tin lone request,” Ms. Sofia said.
‘Where should we go?’
Vimlesh Chaudhary, 53, has looked after the parkland for 26 years. “We person not had a defender for 10 years. Only six caretakers and I negociate this large park,” she said. The bound partition astatine the rear has been damaged for three years. “Men participate from determination and sometimes portion astatine night. We person written to authorities galore times and adjacent called the police,” she said.
In Zaffrabad, Shahdara, a tiny parkland designated for women shows a akin pattern. Zaini, successful her precocious 30s, visited with her hubby and child. “There aren’t any other parks nearby. If families privation to spell retired together, wherever should we go?” she said.
