The Children’s Traffic Park in Sector 12 has been lying in a state of neglect for years, with broken garbage bins, non-functional high-mast and streetlights, water stagnation and foul smell from an open sewage drain flowing nearby, local residents said.
The park, developed to impart traffic education to children, was inaugurated in April 2002 by then chief minister Om Prakash Chautala. A deep pit measuring around 25 feet by 3 feet behind a nearby house also poses an accident risk, residents said. Visitors are also forced to share a common toilet, as the facility meant for women has allegedly been occupied by a gardener for several years. The situation has raised safety concerns, particularly among women, as male visitors are left with no option but to use the common toilet. Col Bakshi also raised concerns over the open sewage drain near the park, saying it causes a foul smell and leads to stagnant pools that could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Broken garbage bins, a leaking underground water pipeline and poor upkeep of the green spaces have further added to the problems.
Residents said the gardener has been staying in the toilet, where household items, utensils and other belongings are stored.
