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This garden has more visitors than Sarasbaug

Jijamata Udyan, popularly known as Dinosaur Park, located in Pimple Gurav, is one of the most sought-after gardens in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.

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Jijamata Udyan, popularly known as Dinosaur Park, located in Pimple Gurav, is one of the most sought-after gardens in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.

The most attractive feature of this garden is a 40-foot-high dinosaur that attracts the young and the old alike, not just from Pimpri-Chinchwad but also Pune.

Spread over five acres, this garden is spacious, has an extensive 625-metre walking-cum-jogging track around its circumference and a large play area for children with a variety of attractions such as slides, swings and jungle gym contraptions.

The garden has an attractive circular fountain close to the entrance, a waterfall and plenty of resting places to protect one from the sun’s heat. Another attractive feature is a bamboo plantation at the centre and a variety of trees and flowers.

Located near the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited’s (PMPML) Pimple Gurav bus stand, the garden can be easily approached from localities such as Kasarwadi, Pimple Saudagar, Sangvi, New Sangvi and Dapodi.

The spacious internal walking area is clean and laced with interlocking tiles. There are facilities like lawns, rest rooms and drinking water fountains. There is also an electronic gaming stall and food stalls for enjoyment. An attractive feature is the free parking area near the entrance.

A nominal fee of Rs2 for adults and Re1 for children below 12 years is levied and this money is used for the garden’s maintenance.

According to Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) MLA, Laxman Jagtap, who has taken a personal interest in developing this garden, the Dinosaur Park is a hot favourite and more people visit it compared to Pune’s famous Sarasbaug.

He, too, credits the huge dinosaur as a unique feature of the garden and said it was one of his party colleagues, former corporator Rajendra Rajapure, who came up with the idea.

“We worked on it and felt that people see dinosaurs only in pictures. If we created a life-like model, it would draw more attention,” he said.

Jagtap said people like the garden because nowadays there are very few open spaces in the city. “I too go to this garden for my morning walks. I am happy with the maintenance, which is handled by a contractor,” he said.

According to Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) garden superintendent, Suresh Salunkhe, apart from the dinosaur, the walking-and-jogging track is popular with citizens. He said the garden was developed at a cost of Rs2 crore.

Surekha Kale, a retired government servant, told DNA, “I come here mostly in the evenings with my granddaughter, who is in awe of the dinosaur. This is the best part of the garden. I also get a chance to walk around and keep fit.”

Gajendra Mujumdar, a factory worker, said his wife brings the children almost every evening to the garden. “I come here on Thursdays, which is my weekly off. I am happy with this garden, except that the water fountain at the entrance does not seem to be working. This was also the case during my last visit,” he said.

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