The self-anointed custodians of the capital’s moral values are back to haunt Delhi’s lovebirds yet again. And this time the moral police has succeeded in compelling the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to keep lovers out of one of Delhi’s largest and most famous parks to prevent ‘obscene activities’.
The gates of DDA’s Swarna Jayanti Park, also known as Japanese Park, in Rohini remained shut from June 1, between 10 am and 4 pm, as part of the ‘purification drive’. The park has been considered a favourite hangout place by the city’s youths. Sprawling over 250 acres of land, it has five lakes one of which also provides boating facility.
Hundreds of young couples visit the park everyday from Delhi and neighbouring areas to enjoy an outing.
But such recreation is now a thing of the past as most couples used to visit the park between 10 am
and 4 pm.
‘Members of resident welfare associations repeatedly complained to DDA officers that young couples who come here from outside engaged in obscene behaviour, which can’t be tolerated,’ section officer of DDA Iqbal Singh Mann, who is in-charge of the park.
‘The park remains open from 5 am to 10 am in the morning and 4 pm to 8 pm in the evening. This is the time when only local residents visit the park with their families,’ Mann added.
‘Local residents had been complaining about young couples indulging in extremely obscene activities at the park following which the DDA decided to close it during the day time. Locals can enjoy morning and evening walks even now, MLA Kulwant Rana said. ‘The park will be opened during day time if the residents want,’ he added.But not all are happy with the decision.
‘This is ridiculous and shows the narrow thinking of the moral brigade. If this is the mentality, young couples would have nowhere to go,’ said Richa Saxena, a Delhi University student who lives in the area.
The gates of DDA’s Swarna Jayanti Park, also known as Japanese Park, in Rohini remained shut from June 1, between 10 am and 4 pm, as part of the ‘purification drive’. The park has been considered a favourite hangout place by the city’s youths. Sprawling over 250 acres of land, it has five lakes one of which also provides boating facility.
Hundreds of young couples visit the park everyday from Delhi and neighbouring areas to enjoy an outing.
But such recreation is now a thing of the past as most couples used to visit the park between 10 am
and 4 pm.
‘Members of resident welfare associations repeatedly complained to DDA officers that young couples who come here from outside engaged in obscene behaviour, which can’t be tolerated,’ section officer of DDA Iqbal Singh Mann, who is in-charge of the park.
‘The park remains open from 5 am to 10 am in the morning and 4 pm to 8 pm in the evening. This is the time when only local residents visit the park with their families,’ Mann added.
‘Local residents had been complaining about young couples indulging in extremely obscene activities at the park following which the DDA decided to close it during the day time. Locals can enjoy morning and evening walks even now, MLA Kulwant Rana said. ‘The park will be opened during day time if the residents want,’ he added.But not all are happy with the decision.
‘This is ridiculous and shows the narrow thinking of the moral brigade. If this is the mentality, young couples would have nowhere to go,’ said Richa Saxena, a Delhi University student who lives in the area.