Soon after North Delhi Municipal Corporation came up with the first-ever dog park in Delhi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation decided to do the same, but this time, with more facilities and activities for paw friends and their paw parents.
The then SDMC Commissioner who is now Commissioner of the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi after a merge, Mr. Gyanesh Bharti, IAS, had come up with new and brilliant ideas for South Delhi, a dog park being one of them.
NO NEED FOR ISOLATED SPACE ANYMORE
Residents living in the southern part of the capital city of Delhi faced a hard time taking their furry buddies out for a stroll and stretching. Not everyone is comfortable with animals around and, therefore, they had to search for isolated areas where their dogs could walk and run.
But very soon, this problem would get solved as South Delhi Municipal Corporation is all set to create a pet park with adequate space for grooming, sale of food and accessories, a veterinary centre, and fun activity courses that will also include swimming. There will also be a provision for a day-care centre where working people living alone can leave their pets when out at work.
“The concept of a dog park has already been implemented in Greater Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and we will create at least one of them in South Delhi as soon as possible,” said Mr. Alok Kumar, Director, Horticulture department, SDMC.
DOG PARK – A REQUIREMENT IN TODAY’S TIME
It is becoming increasingly common to see people have arguments over pet-walking and littering these days. Pet parents and common people strolling in a park often get into arguments when they unleash their dogs while walking on the roads or running in the park. This mostly happens because some people do not feel safe or comfortable in the presence of dogs in a public area.
Talking about this to the media, SDMC Additional Commissioner Randhir Sahay said, “At pet parks, we will offer membership at reasonable prices and provide ample activities for the pets. There will also be cafeterias, vet services, etc. to make the visit even more worthwhile.”
Adding to this, Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Mr. Gyanesh Bharti said, “Within the park, there will be trees to provide ample shade and keep the park cool even in summer. Gazebos have also been proposed in the open areas for both pets and visitors. The surface materials planned in the dog parks include grass decomposed granite, wood chips/mulch, pea gravel, etc., which will not make the pets feel uncomfortable to walk on.”
PLAN UNDER PROGRESS
As of now, the concept of a unique dog park has been prepared and the plan to implement it at an undeveloped site/park located at a roundabout near Defence Colony market is underway. The idea has also been uploaded on the official website of the Municipal Corporation and views and suggestions from the public from all over the country are invited.
“We are approaching various organisations to fund the project as a CSR activity. We will also involve animal lovers in implementing the project,” Mr. Bharti said.
FACILITIES FOR PAW PARENTS
The Municipal Corporation will not only take care of little fur babies but will also provide facilities for the comfort of their parents. As far as the proposed park at Defence Colony is concerned, there will be enough parking space there to avoid congestion on the roads, as well as multiple entries to avoid crowding at one point.
Plus, the site is located at some distance from the residential area which will make it easier for people and their pets to access. Provision will also be made to install a waste bag dispenser to provide bags for collecting pet poop and to dispose of it in a proper manner, covered bins will be put up around the park.
This new park will truly be a game-changer for the little fur babies living in Delhi and will provide them with free space to run around and have fun.
