Train brings back joy

For those wishing to take a ride on toy train, but unable to make it to Cubbon Park, here is another opportunity. They can now go to  Hanumanth Nagar at Kempabuddhi Park, popularly called Jinke Park (Deer Park), though the deer present here are made of stones. For the past five years, the BBMP was unable to run the toy train due to a number of issues. This included delayed tenders, problems with the company that won the tender and so on.

However 10 days ago, the train began chugging along the park, much to the delight of hundreds of children who visit every day.

According to the local MLA Chandrashekar, the park itself is a learning experience for the young children. “The park displays three different cultures - Indian, Roman and Egyptian,” he said.

The Egyptian Sphinx greet visitors at the entrance. All around the park there are massive Roman pillars and at the beginning of the train ride we see busts of prominent activists, who have contributed to the culture of Karnataka.

As the train begins its slow movement through the park, it is not just the greenery, but a learning experience as well. But what is also exciting is the fact, that unlike the train at Cubbon Park, most of the train ride on the Hanumanth Nagar is on a elevated bridge around the park. At one point the train even passes through a tunnel. “The response at the park has been very good ever since the toy train started again,” said one of the workers at the park, who wishes to be unnamed.

Although the park has over 300 different varieties of light bulbs and numerous plant varieties, mostly ornamental, there are a few glitches that are yet to be sorted out. The slide and swings at the children’s park is in a slightly dilapidated condition.

As the train passes through the bridge at the entrance of the park, all that the children get to see is an open sewage with dirty water flowing through it. Towards the other side of the park, the train tracks are used by the dhobis to dry clothes.