The move will benefit park goers, residents who walk and jog, and the general public. However, the parks will remain closed to the public from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to carry out some maintenance work. Indeed, the parks will remain open for another two and a half hours each day.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath announced the same in a circular on Thursday. The circular said the parks would remain open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., unlike previous hours which were 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The three and a half hour window from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. is necessary for cleaning, sweeping the park and watering the plants.
The decision will apply to all 1,118 parks that fall under the BBMP, said Chandrashekhar MR, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department of BBMP, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Additionally, the BBMP owns many parks in Bengaluru which are owned and maintained by the BDA (Bangalore Development Authority), BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board) and the state horticulture department. Two of the city’s most iconic parks, Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, fall under the state Department of Horticulture and have their own schedules.