‘Enjoy nature’ is the USP at Joggers’ Park in Pune

If you are living in the northern suburbs and want to jog and get a breath of fresh air, there is no better place than Joggers’ Park in Kalyaninagar. A well-maintained park, it is visited by people of all age groups living in and around Kalyaninagar, both in the morning and evenings.

The garden, built in the memory of freedom fighter, Damodar Raoji Galande, for Rs30 lakh, was thrown open to the public on April 8, 2001. Spread over 7,638 sq metres, the park caters to the needs of both the young and the old.

While the 500m jogging track caters to the need of the fitness inclined, the multiple slides and swings bring joy to tiny tots.

Blessed with lush green lawns, a cluster of trees and comfortable benches, the park is a haven for meditation, especially for senior citizens in the early hours of the day.

On weekends, the park attracts youngsters, who like to come and share quality time with friends and family. The park is also a favourite with info-tech employees residing in the area.

One of the special features of the park is the choice of trees. The park is dotted with palms, golden bamboo, cannon ball tree and ficus, along with colourful roses, which make the park at once very colourful and soothing to the eyes.

For instance, no artificial perfume can match the chafa flowers, both pink and white in full bloom, which the park abounds in.

According to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) horticulture inspector, Balasaheb Dolas, the trees in this park were chosen for their sturdiness and low maintenance. “These trees provide maximum shade as they are bushy and remain green in all seasons. Trees like the chafa were chosen for their scenic value,” he said.

PMC’s assistant garden superintendent, Preeti Sinha, had an interesting take on the park.

She told DNA, “Kalyaninagar is a crowded suburb and hence this PMC park provides vital open space for people. They can breathe in clean, fresh air both in the morning and evening.”

There is enough evidence of the popularity of the park. Housewife Priya Laddha, who regularly takes her 8-month-old son Ayaan for a morning walk, told DNA, “I take my son in a pram for a stroll. He enjoys the fresh air and the walk keeps me fit. Such parks are a boon in a city like Pune.”

Information technology professional, Ashish Hazra, another park regular said, “The specialty of this park is the jogging track, which is well-maintained. The different plants in the garden and lush green lawns are also very soothing to the eye.

The mandatory entry fee ensures that the park is well-maintained.”
The PMC garden team has promised a second jogging track of 500 metres in the same park within the next 30 days. Put on those running shoes now!