New Town to get park for specially-abled children

A park exclusively for the disabled known as “sensory park” will be coming up in New Town. This is the first park of this kind in the state.

Debashis Sen, chairman of Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) said the park would have a huge ludo board with brail system for children with visual impairment. A sand zone will be set up where specially able children will be able to make models. There will also be an alley where the wheel chair bound kids could be taken where they can take part in some recreational sports. Lauding the concept, Swati Chatterjee who works with specially able children said: “It is a really unique that the HIDCO authorities have thought about.” Suparna Sengupta, the mother of a spastic child who is wheelchair bound said “It will be good to take my son there. If he is taken to a normal park there are some people who tease him which hurt both me and my husband. But we are helpless and had accepted our fate but with the introduction of such a venture will make my son very happy.”

Sen said according to the New Town plan, six parks for children had been earmarked. There is also a park for the senior citizens. It may be mentioned that a unique park for senior citizens has also come up in New Town. Besides a walking zone where they can go in the morning and evening, a community building also has been constructed. The library with a coffee shop housed in the ground floor gives them an opportunity to spend their leisure time. There is a provision to buy books in the library too. An aquarium and some cages where birds are kept have been constructed to give a sense of well being.

A banquet hall has also been constructed where musical programmes are held for them. Plus, there is an indoor games facility.