All work and no play(ground)?

Kuldeep Chauhan

Shimla remained the summer capital of the Raj for over 135 years. The Britishers, for their own recreation, created a golf course at Naldehra, some squash courts near their residences, ice-skating and roller-skating rinks and Gaiety Theatre on The Mall, but all of these were out of bounds for locals and the common public. 

These facilities were an exclusive domain for the recuperating British, who used to spend their leisure time in the town.

All playgrounds that exist in the city till today are only at convent schools, including BCS, St Edwards, Convent of Jesus and Mary, Loreto Convent Tara Hall, Auckland House School, and are not accessible for everyone, as these are “private properties”. Other schools that came later, including DAV New Shimla and Lakkar Bazar, Dayanand Public School and Shimla Public School among others, provide few sports facilities and hardly have any playground on the campus.

Planners at HIMUDA, the now defunct Shimla development authority, and Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), which is one of the oldest municipalities in the country, also followed the footsteps of the British, it seems, as they never bothered to create playgrounds and stadiums for youngsters and children living in the city, whose population today has exploded to over 2.5 lakh from 40,000 during the peak British time.

Rather, all open spaces and vacant private land available earlier in the’80s and’90s in the city and its peripheral villages, could have been easily developed into playgrounds. But the myopic authorities cared two hoots, it seems. On the contrary, economic liberalisation and easy bank loan devoured these open spaces one by one for flats and colonies, observes a local historian.

Not only this, some open spaces kept for some parks by HIMUDA and Shimla development authorities were “given to influential people”, depriving the city children of their right to have playgrounds.

Barring one indoor Indira Gandhi Sports Complex (IGSC) on The Mall, there is virtually nothing in the name of sports facility for children and youth in the city. This complex, too, remains out of reach for children living in the suburbs, including New Shimla, Vikasnagar and Kasumpti among other areas, as it takes two hours, during peak hours, to reach by bus and no student can afford wasting two hours in travelling. 

As there are no open playgrounds in the city, children are either found on The Mall or on roadsides in busy traffic risking their lives.

“The government set up a dozen schools and colleges in the city, but these, too, do not have proper playgrounds due to lack of space or political will so to say,” said Dr Dinesh Jhagta, president of DPEs’ Association. “We either find children confined to the four walls of the room surfing their mobile phones or laptops, when they are at home, or in classrooms where they do not have playgrounds,” he said.

Suman Rawat, who is an Arjuna awardee, and now additional director (Sports) HP, said: “We roughed it out on roads in the’90s and’80s braving traffic menace, while practicing for the national and international events. We were not allowed to use the school ground for practicing and things are the same even today. Shimla has no proper playgrounds and private schools must show their benevolence in throwing up the grounds open for a couple of hours after school time.”

However, she said two sports stadiums were coming up at Sanjauli and Ghanahatti. The third one is being proposed at Tuttikandi and will prove a boon for sportspersons in the city in the days to come, she said. “As the city lacks sports facilities, youngsters are falling prey to drugs like never before and it is a serious concern,” observes Prithviraj Singh, a boxing coach.

There is still time, feel residents, who want the SMC and government agencies to act and ask school managements to allow the use of their playgrounds. At least one playground should be built in every ward by using vacant spaces, they said, so that instead of getting glued to their cell phones and falling prey to drugs, children go out and play.

‘Schools should allow use of playgrounds’

There are no playgrounds for children in the city. Whenever I go to any school for a function, I always ask the management to allow children staying nearby to use their playground after school hours. But the state government and the local administration have to take a call on this and direct all private and public schools to allow their playgrounds to be used. This will encourage them to take part in sports and help in keeping them away from drugs. —Suman Rawat, Arjuna awardee, Additional Director, Sports & Youth Affairs

‘Money earmarked for parks’

We have provided playing facility for children at Rani Jhansi Park. Parks will come up at Bharari, Totu, Nabha, Jhakhu, MC Library Sanjauli, Chamiana, Dhinghudhar, Indernagar, Chhota Shimla, New Shimla- Sector 4 and 1. The Rani Jhansi Park ground and the one in Kasumpti, which incurred Rs 1.49 cr, has been made operational, while Rs 1.20 cr has been earmarked for parks at Gol Pahadi, Chaura Maidan, Totu, Majyath, Indernagar, Brockhurst and New Shimla-Sector 3. —Kusum Sadret, Mayor, Shimla MC

‘Present MC made little progress’

We had proposed two playgrounds — one each at Tutikandi and Rani Ground, Kasumpti with different play fields. We also laid the foundation stone of the multi-purpose stadium at Govt School Ground, Engine Ghar, Sanjauli. But even after two years, the present MC has made little progress with respect to these projects. No more playgrounds have been planned in the city after that. —Sanjay Chauhan, Former Mayor, SMC