Poor Facilities in Annammaghati Park at Kakinada
Subsequently, a part of the pond was closed and levelled with the soil; and a Buddha statue was set up amidst the pond.
Kakinada:The Annammaghati Pond and the park surrounding it are being grossly neglected by the Kakinada Municipal Corporation, even as several walkers are frequenting the park.
There are no infrastructure facilities like toilets, sitting benches or drinking water. The pond was in a worse condition four years back. It was later developed under the Amrit Bharat scheme.
Subsequently, a part of the pond was closed and levelled with the soil; and a Buddha statue was set up amidst the pond.
To approach the statue, a beautiful path has been laid. Officials arranged bottom-level cement chaptas and tree-model sitting benches. However, those who are old and suffering from knee pains are not able to sit there.
There is no maintenance for the pond and there grass has grown around the park. Some gymnasium items were introduced to the park to enable the youth and children do exercises.
“A lighting facility has been arranged now and then. Due to the growth of grass, we are afraid of the presence of snakes and other reptiles there. The bund inside of the pond should be modernized,’’ said Sudha Rani, who visited the park along with their children.
A volunteer of the Samatha Voluntary Organisation, P Satish, said many people are getting accustomed to the park in recent times. It must be provided with more infrastructure facilities, he said, adding that such parks should be made entertainment centres for the children, youth and the other people of the surrounding areas.
He felt that the civic corporation failed in utilizing the central government funds for development of the infrastructure facilities in many sectors.
KMC superintendent engineer, Venkata Rao, told Deccan Chronicle that a proposal has been submitted for the development of the park to the AP urban greenery development corporation at a cost of `50 lakh.
There was also a proposal to get funds from Kakinada urban development corporation for the park’s development.
Secretary of the Durga Vidyut Nagar residents welfare association, Kolagani VVS Murthy, said the Annamma Ghati Park is extensively utilized by the residents of Jagganickpur and nearby localities for their morning and evening walks, relaxation and family recreation.
According to his information, the KMC has not given salaries for 10 months to the gardeners and maintenance staff. Without adequate manpower support and timely payments, the corporation can’t maintain it properly, he said.
According to a KMC official, there were no funds at the KMC even to settle the dues of the contractors who completed their works four years ago. KMC is not able to take up a single development work in the parks, he said.
