City Desk :
Within a year of undergoing renovations geared towards accommodating children, Ramna Park is already showing signs of neglect.
The playground equipment is falling into disrepair. Some pieces are broken, and others are on the verge of becoming unusable, leading to injuries among the young visitors, reports bdnews24.com.
The situation has left many parents exasperated.
All three swings in one area of the park are now unfit for adult use. Yet adults continue to use them, often making children wait.
After snapping, two of the three swing shackles were temporarily fixed, compromising the swings’ balance and deterring children from using them.
This has inadvertently provided adults with more opportunities to use the swings.
The Public Works Department, responsible for park maintenance, acknowledges these issues.
They have implemented some measures, including assigning security personnel to the children’s area and planning further actions to address the problem.
However, these security personnel often do not stay at their posts, and when present, they tend not to intervene, citing the challenge of monitoring the entire area by themselves.
Despite these challenges, Ramna Park has been a popular destination for children since its reopening at the end of 2022, attracting not just families but also school groups from distant areas.
The park offers a variety of free-to-use play equipment, including xylophones, riders, climbing ropes, hanging bridges, sliders, and more.
Unfortunately, only the equipment unappealing to or unusable by adults remains in good condition.
During a visit to the park on a Tuesday afternoon, it became apparent that the facilities intended for children’s entertainment were predominantly occupied by adults.
Adults were seen using swings, including those specifically designed for toddlers, and even sliding down slides meant for young visitors.
Despite the presence of security personnel, no interventions were made to address this misuse. The security staff, in fact, seemed preoccupied with their phones and did not prevent adults from engaging with the children’s equipment.
Adults justified their use of the equipment, claiming there was “no problem” as long as few or no children were around.
They appeared dismissive of the idea that their weight could cause damage to the play structures. Their attitude has left many parents dismayed, with some hesitant to voice their concerns, fearing a rude rebuke.
The park’s condition reveals significant wear and tear.
Two of the three swings have broken shackles on one side. One xylophone is missing its metal keys, while the other is partially intact.
Climbing ropes meant for simulating tree climbing are torn, posing a risk to children who attempt to use them. The rope bridge is largely dismantled, and a seesaw has been rendered unusable in the absence of a balance handle.