Children's facility at Cubbon Park wears a deserted look due to lack of toilets.
With well-furnished interiors and about 6,000 books and toys, this children’s library seems to have everything to attract school students to the place. However, what the place lacks is the bare essential – toilets.
Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library, situated beside the Secretariat Club in Cubbon Park, was renovated by the Public Works Department at a cost of Rs10 lakh in 2008. However, the authorities concerned seem to have overlooked the necessity to build toilets for the children, who come to visit the library from nearby schools.
The students are compelled to use either the open space adjacent to the library or dare take the risk of crossing the road to go to the Central Library building on the otherside to attend nature’s call.
“There were toilets here, but the PWD authorities demolished them during the renovation of the building. They wanted to construct the toilets, and we even deposited the money with the PWD for this purpose, but nothing has happened till now,’’ said HC Ramachandra, in-charge of Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library.
As a result, there has been a drastic reduction in the footfall at the library, thus giving an opportunity for people to make peculiar suggestions. A man, during an interaction on how to develop Cubbon Park, had suggested merging the children’s library with the Central Library, and converting the place where the children’s library is presently housed into a hotel.
“It will be disastrous if the authorities concede such unreasonable demand. Earlier, a bar and restaurant existed in the same building. The state government had decided to close it down and handed over the premises to open the children’s library. Children will lose a golden opportunity if this library is shifted to another place,’’ said KG Venkatesh, former director, department of public libraries.
“Most children visit the library between 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm. It has become a tough task for children to cross the road to reach the library owing to the increase in the frequency of vehicles. I had requested the traffic police department to depute a traffic policeman more than a year ago, but nothing has happened yet,’’ said Ramachandra.
Director of the Department of Public Libraries, MM Badni, said he would take up the issue with the PWD authorities. “I am aware of the lack of toilet facility at Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library. I am confident of getting permission from the department of horticulture for constructing toilets on the premises of Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library,’’ said Badni.
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