Play Grounds, Lung spaces where are they

We keep reading about 70’s & 80’s where children could play in the open and how world has changed since then. Yes technology might have made it difficult to move a child out of the home, but most importantly our own will to demand things is the main cause for the present state of affairs.

Other than roads, where are the open spaces for the children to paly, today’s schools do not have play grounds but we are so keen to admit our children ina particular school because of its academics but never demand to ask if they have a play area for the kids which is a requirement at that age for a proper growth.

Except for some noted schools which have not succumbed to the commercial interests, some play area is still available, but most of the new gen schools don’t even have space for parking of vehicles of the staff, leave alone play areas.

When it comes to public spaces where children can go and play we have very minimal availability, except in the old planned development areas like Anna Nagar, CIT colony, Ghandinagar etc we could find some parks but otherwise nothing much. In the name of development even that space is usurped and we are only silent spectators for these whole tamasha. In Bengaluru in addition to the two major lung spaces in the heart of the city Cubbon Park & lal Bagh most of the new layouts have got parks and also have enough space in the land earmarked for setting up schools for play areas.

Today we are planning Greater Chennai, we have innumerable legal illegal layouts all around the city with 20’ roads and no public spaces and these are going to be part of the future of Chennai. Even the regulated OSR space can be purchased by the developer by paying a premium, so where is that we are going to see some green space in future.

Our city is reported to have about 4000 public & private schools and I can wager a bet that not even 10% will have play areas. When will the planners of the city have the forethought to plan ahead. Some of the present day developers are actually showing the way. To market their properties they are asking city schools to set up branches in their project land. While this could ensure some play areas in those schools, it is time city planners take some drastic steps.

·         There should be minimum guidelines for starting a school with stipulation for play areas.

·         Existing schools to be made to comply with the rules

·         If schools have to go to suburbs to comply with rules, so be it.

·         There is anyway RTE act to ensure admission for all classes of children in such schools which are in city and are complying with rules.

No doubt it will hurt us because we have to either shift our homes to the suburbs or send our children on a long commute every day, if it is all for, our own family members health why not, we have to make these sacrifices.

This will actually help de-congest the city and ensure healthy growth of the suburbs, even the city planners can plan for infra keeping the commuting requirement of the population of the city and people living in suburbs.

Disclaimer: All the pictures used in this blog are  properties of the respective copy right owners and have been used only to depict the plight of the Indian child