Bal Bhavan in Bangalore turns children’s killjoy

They came from not just Bangalore, but also faraway places like Mysore to enjoy the holiday in a meaningful way with their friends and parents.

The joy of hundreds of children turned to tears and despair at the gates of Jawahar Bal Bhavan on Tuesday as the government-run children’s recreation centre was closed to facilitate holiday of its employees.

Bal Bhavan’s decision to close its doors on government holidays has made the kids and their parents see red, raising the question as to whether the institution was serving the purpose of the children or its own staff.

Susheela had brought her two children who were feeling bored at home to Bal Bhavan. She was shocked to see the gate closed.

A board hung on the gate, declaring that “Bal Bhavan is closed due to holiday” failed to convey the meaning as it was a working day.

Many parents and hundreds of children literally pleaded with the security guards to allow them in, but it was all in vain. It only led to an argument with the security guard at the gate. “The Bal Bhavan staff worked on Saturday (Christmas) which was a holiday. They have been given a compensatory off on Tuesday. So it is a holiday for Bal Bhavan on Tuesday. It is not safe to allow children in without adequate staff. We have decided not to take any chances after a woman died while riding a giant wheel two years ago,” a Bal Bhavan official said, explaining the reason for the closure.

After that tragedy, Bal Bhavan decided to remain closed on all government holidays, defeating the very purpose of its existence for the children.

“The new guidelines effectively makes it useless for the children to visit Bal Bhavan on days like Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanthi or festival holidays like Ugadi or Sankranti. We cannot bring our children here on working days as they have to go to school and have to complete their homework. When the kids have time on holidays, the Bal Bhavan prefers to remain closed. Then what is the purpose of having a Bal Bhavan at all?” asked Paravthi, who had come with her daughter and husband.

Bal Bhavan should enlist the services of at least half of its staff on such holidays by paying them additional incentives to keep the premises open for the kids, she said.

Even when when it is open, the facilities at Bal Bhavan leave much to be desired. There is only one motor boat to cater hundreds of children as the authorities have not cared to repair another one that went kaput over a year back.

Children are barred from entering the scientific park. The work on traffic park abandoned mid-way is another eye sore.