The most popular destination of most Mylaporeans who value their fitness, Nageswara Rao Park in Luz sinks in darkness when the sun sets. By 7 p.m., this verdant campus is a dark hole with an eerie feel all around it.
When we walked into the park on Monday evening, some dozen people were walking briskly, obviously keeping to their fitness time-table but within minutes all of them had left the park.
A peculiar stink hung all around – the park was flooded by the recent deluge and has been under water since the early November rains.
In some nooks, a few people continued with their personal and informal conversations. Some 30minutes later, at about 630p.m. the main and rear gates had been locked. The watchman said that they wanted to secure the place early because it was dark and the power-lines were switched off fearing accidents arising out of leaky wires and power installations.
The half-erected shed over the Chess Square and the new-design toilets for men and for women installed in the park, at the rear gate area had not had any attention for some weeks now.
Outside the rear gate, huge mounds of vegetation was on the pavement.
Though park regulars would like the park be redeveloped they say that cannot expect much when basic relief works are still on across the city.
So, Nageswara Rao Park may have to be on the sick list for some time and let the darkness wrap it at dusk.
