Bangalore: Shell Out Rs 200 for a Stroll or Jog in Lalbagh !
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 5: The state's horticulture department has decided to collect a sum of Rs 200 per annum from the adults and Rs 100 per annum from the children, who are interested to walk or jog in Lalbagh from 6 am to 9 am and from 5.30 pm to 7 pm.

Although this proposal had been in the pipeline since about five years, due to the protests of the citizens, it had been put on hold. These charges will come into force from next week onwards. After the joggers fill in a form containing their details, address etc., they would be issued a card that will be valid for a year.

It is estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 people visit Lalbagh on a daily basis in the morning as well as in the evening. The new rule has already drawn flak from the general public.

"I have been coming to Lalbagh for morning walks regularly, since the last 30 years. There has been no practice of charging fees for visiting this garden. I have been able to maintain my health because of my regular walks here. I am an ordinary employee of a private firm here. Rich people can afford to go to gyms or health clubs, but where do the poor people like me go? The new order must be withdrawn immediately," says a morning jogger.

"This has come as an additional burden for us, as all the six members of my family come here for a walk everyday. This will prove to be an expensive affair," rues another jogger.

"The need for levying of charges is felt because of security concerns. We wish to restrict the visit of the people here and want to have clear identities of the people who come here," said a spokesperson from the department of horticulture.

Rubbishing the department’s explanation, another jogger commented, "If they want to charge us for security reasons, they can very well achieve the objective, by issuing identity cards to the joggers by charging a one-time nominal fee. In any case Lalbagh has been bringing money for the department, as charges of Rs 30 per person are collected for people visiting it from 10 am to 5.30 pm every day, and also from several exhibitions that are conducted here every year. Since this is a public property, we request the government to withdraw its proposal to collect fees from the morning and evening visitors."