Gardens in the city are spaces marked for people, especially senior citizens and children, to spend their morning and evening time there and have fresh air. But most gardens in city are housing food courts without getting permission from civic body. One example is of Gandhibag Garden, and another is of Savarkar Nagar Garden. The Gandhibag Garden is struggling to prevent the extra construction, while Savarkar Nagar Garden has had a failed fight as a food park has been erected inside it. People living in Savarkar Nagar and in the surrounding areas are not able to visit Savarkar Nagar Garden due to this food park. The garden has been developed on a Public Utility (PU) land. The construction of the food park started without taking anybody in the colony into confidence. Savarkar Nagar is an area of retired State and Central Government officers who want to live their lives peacefully after retirement. Taking serious cognisance of the construction work, Savarkar Nagar Garden Bachao Samiti agitated but authorities did not respond. The Samiti even approached High Court who had asked all the civic bodies to take measures.

 

In fact Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Garden Superintendent Amol Chorpagar had asked the contractor not to do any work inside the garden. But still, the food park was constructed. The food park has now many visitors who keep their vehicles wherever space is available, without giving much thought to the residents’ inconvenience. Residents are also afraid that parking of vehicles coming to the food park may cause blockages and accidents on Ring road and internal roads of Savarkar Nagar colony. Despite the instruction from Chorpagar, the construction work continued. People living here posted complaint with the office of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and sent its copy to Radhakrishnan B, the then Municipal Commissioner. But those efforts were in vain. The information provided by citizens of the area to ‘The Hitavada’ makes it clear that Concession Agreement for Operate, Maintain and Transfer (OMT) of PU land for garden at Savarkar Nagar executed between Nagpur Improvement Trust and M/s Murlidhar Chavan was signed on August 20, 2019.