Kolkata Chief Minister and Bhowanipore MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday evening inspected two major public parks in the neighborhood of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, highlighting what he termed a concerning trend of encroachment and limited access in the city's green spaces. The inspection focused on Harish Park, where he assessed the condition of the grounds and discussed with Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials the restoration of the park's identity as an open, public facility for local residents.
Harish Park Inspection
According to an official present at Harish Park, Adhikari directed civic officials to ensure that local residents could participate in sports and games without any fear. The official stated that the chief minister was taken aback by reports that the park's use had allegedly been monopolized by members of the Banerjee family and their associates, transforming a public space into a controlled area where access depended on political affiliation rather than citizenship.
“The CM is particularly upset with the running of a badminton court which had barred local youths who were not connected with the party,” the KMC official said, indicating that the issue was not merely about maintenance but about exclusion. The court, intended as a community sporting facility, was cited as an example of how informal control can lead to denial of access for ordinary neighborhood youths, especially those without links to the ruling party network.
“The CM is particularly upset not only about restricted sporting access, but also about the impact of events that prioritized revenue over ecology. Holding of fairs for commercial gains had also damaged the park ground and its greenery. The CM has instructed us to protect the greenery of Harish Park and all other major parks in 144 KMC wards,” the civic official said, framing the Harish Park visit as part of a broader directive to safeguard public parks across the city.
Chetla Park Visit
Adhikari spent about half an hour at Harish Park before moving to Chetla Park, where he inspected public utilities and reviewed how the space was being used by residents. At Chetla Park, another KMC official said Adhikari instructed the civic brass to ensure that more citizens from Chetla and its adjacent neighborhoods make the best use of the park.
Besides Harish Park and Chetla Park, both within his Bhowanipore assembly constituency, Adhikari is also said to be keen to restore Elliot Park in the Maidan area, which was developed as a public-private partnership more than two decades ago.
Meeting with KMC Officials
Later in the evening, Adhikari went to the Borough IX office in Alipore and held a meeting with KMC officials. The meeting was attended by Debalina Biswas, the Trinamool councillor who had resigned as chairperson of the borough after KMC buildings department pasted notices on some prime Abhishek Banerjee property. Asked why she joined, Biswas said it was an administrative meeting. “The CM discussed with us several important civic services. As a councillor, it was my duty to attend the meeting and contribute in whatever manner possible,” she said.
A KMC official said the chief minister sought immediate action on core civic issues. “From water supply to flushing of storm water to parking woes, several important issues were discussed and we were instructed to prepare a roadmap to achieve time-bound results,” the official said.
