Vijayawada: Park under flyover is huge hit with citizens

Vijayawada: With each passing day, the number of visitors to the spruced up open park under the Kanakadurga flyover at Bhavanipuram, are increasing.

While the number has reached 500 to 600 people during weekdays, around 6,000 people visited the park on Sunday, and 5,000 on Saturday.

The main attractions are the hanging gardens; however, the paintings on the base of the flyover too are received well by the visitors.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has developed a large open park between pillar Nos. 4 and 20 under the flyover and named it F1H2O park.

The park has become an instant hit, especially with the selfie-loving crowd.

At almost any given time, one can see youngsters taking selfies in front of the paintings or hanging gardens.

There are other attractions too — an open-air gym for youth, a children’s park and play equipment, skating rinks, multipurpose court for shuttlers, ball badminton etc and water fountains and an amphitheatre.

N. Ram, a diploma final year student, told this correspondent: “The park is very beautiful and we are enjoying ourselves a lot here. Many of the visitors, especially youngsters, are using the open-air gym regularly since as it is free to use.”

Dhanunjai from Bobbili said, “The utilisation of waste material to make statues, and the vertical gardens and water fountain is awesome.”

D. Srihari from Guntur said, “I came here once earlier and now have come against with a friend to spend some time to relax and unwind.”

S. Kartik, a student, said, “The lack of water facility is acutely felt, especially by those who want to spend more time in the pleasant atmosphere.”

VMC assistant director of horticulture J. Jyothi said, “This is my first project after taking charge. I am happy with the response. Initially, we faced a problem due to the harsh sunlight, but then finalised plants that can do well under the sun and shadows.”

Ms Jyothi said that the Roads and Buildings department initially objected to the proposal of hanging gardens, but once told that waterproofing the pillars was part of the development work, there was no issue.