Where is open space for kids to play, women, elderly to walk?
There is dearth of open space in Jamia Nagar, the hub of Muslim intellectuals and surprisingly nobody talks about it. It is usual to see children playing in streets and women and elderly confined to the limits of their houses. There is no place for morning and evening walk, complained residents.
The only open place is cluttered roads piled up with waste or encroached with mushrooming workshops or parked vehicles.
But I don’t know who will do this job as most of the residents, including politicians, religious leaders and self-proclaimed activists, are busy in accomplishing other important works, said the resident, adding that for them recreational activities has no importance.
In Abul Fazal Enclave, the only open space is in Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH). There too children are not allowed to play, said a resident, adding and nobody can object to this as the lands are private property of JIH.
“We are thankful to them that at least in morning and evening they have kept the premise open for residents. A few times I took my son to the ground where he cycled. But one day the guard stopped me and said: ‘Children are not allowed to bicycle here.’ I was convinced with his argument that if they allow children the ground will be chock-o-block with kids from the locality,” said a resident requesting not to be named.
After that day I am unable to find any ground where I can take my son and his friends where they can play, he said.
“Many kids play in streets. But I don’t want to send my son there and after school his movement is restricted to my small house,” said another resident.
This locality needs a park where children can play and grow.
