Soon, park atop Chetla booster pumping station

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is now setting up a new park above the booster pumping station at Chetla mainly to ensure playing space for children. The move comes in the wake of shortage of land for setting up parks with rapid urbanisation in the city. The park will come up on 18,000 square metre area atop the booster pumping station.

"Our primary objective is to provide playing space for children and there is scarcity of land for setting up such parks. So we have decided to set up such parks upon booster pumping stations. Earth of around one foot height will be first dumped upon the pumping station and then grass will be laid upon it. There will be railing on the four sides of the pumping station to prevent anyone from falling," a senior official of the Parks and Squares department said.

Mayor-in-Council (Parks & Gardens) Debasish Kumar said: "Apart from providing children playing space, it will also add keep the roof of the reservoir clean. This will contribute both in adding greenery and beautification of the city."

According to KMC sources, booster pumping stations at Kasba, Bagmari, Siriti (in Tollygunge area) and Garfa already have parks on top of them. At present, there are around 700 parks maintained by the civic body in the city. "The population in the city is increasing leaps and bounds. So gradually we are taking up plans to have more parks of similar nature in the city where Kolkatans can have open space to breathe some fresh air," the official added

Interestingly, the concept of such parks in the city had become a reality during the British Rule. The

Muhammad Ali Park was constructed in a similar way. The park now hosts one of the most popular Durga Puja in Central Kolkata which is a huge crowd-puller.

The KMC official, however, pointed out a problem with the construction of such type of parks in the city. "We will not be able to plant trees that grow big. So we have to plant small trees or seasonal flowers for beautification of these parks," the official said.