Parks of the city :Sanjeevaiah Park

Sanjeevaiah Park at Necklace Road was built on 90 acres of land along the banks of Hussainsagar Lake. The park is managed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) which won the Best Open Landscape Award during the 2010 Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage Award presentations for the park.

Major attractions of the park are Peripheral Walkway, Sprawling Lawns, Ornamental Trees, Samadhi of former chief minister D Sanjeevaiah, Floral Clock, Cafeteria, Palm Garden, Rock Garden, Nandana Vanam, Rose Garden, Bamboo Garden, Children Science Park, Fragrance Garden and Aquatic Garden.

The park hosts several events for the public ranging from roller-skating races to social awareness campaigns. It is open daily from 5.30 am to 8.30 am with an entry fee of Rs 5 and from 9 am to 6.30 pm with an entry fee of Rs 10. On an average about 1,500 people visit the park each day while about 2,000 visit the park during the weekend.

History

Raja Ramana Reddy, asstistant director of Urban Forestry, said, “The park was taken over from the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) in 2003 by the HMDA. It was named after Damodaram Sanjivayya, former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. The Buddha Purnima Project Authority (BPPA), an agency under the HMDA responsible for the beautification and upkeep of the areas surrounding the Hussainsagar, planned for several recreational facilities for public access in 2004. In 2010, the HMDA came up with a new proposal for the park's development while retaining all the environmental aspects of the park and decided that no concrete structures will be constructed near the park.

About 100 species of resident and non-resident birds and more than 50 species of insects and butterflies are present in the park. It is frequented by various migratory species of birds. The pied crested cuckoo, which is considered as a harbinger of the monsoon rains due to the timing of its arrival, is frequently spotted at this park.

The local birdwatchers predict rains within 15–18 days of spotting this bird. Due to construction work initiated by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), typical birds such as the spotbills, cranes, common coot, purple herons, cormorants and jacanas were not seen at the park now

Problems

After the 2007 terror attack in Hyderabad, all major parks were put on high security alert. Owing to this incident, the park witnessed a drastic reduction in the number of visitors. There are many instances of police who try to blackmail couples and make money. There have also been many complaints of anti social elements harassing women. The local garden keepers or security personnel are also beaten up sometimes.

P Swamy a garden keeper, says, “We do not have a uniform and ID card. There are only five security personnel available to monitor the entire park.” Ajay Singh and Farida who visit the park regularly , say, “The park has only two toilets which are not maintained well, there’s no drinking water facility, the children’s play equipment is damaged and the science park is dormant. The Rose Garden, Rock Garden and Herbal Garden are yet to be inaugurated by the chief minister and it has been pending for over a year.”

By:Ch Saibaba