Decline in open spaces

Prasham Narayan
Sep 3, 2018 · 2 min read

“Hey! Remember that playground we used to play cricket on? Well, a giant mall stands there now.”

Sounds familiar?

These sentences are probably a repetition in your conversations as well!

Playgrounds, parks, just open lands are a rare sight these days. Continuous constructions of buildings, malls etc have gulped the open spaces without a burp.

There was a time when children used to pick up their bats, balls, racquets, etc. and huddled to the open grounds (that were not difficult to find, maybe just a few steps away from their houses) to play. Be it a scorching summer afternoon, a breezy evening, a freezing winter day or just drizzling outside, nothing could stop the kids from going outside to play.

Now, well things have changed, even if it’s a cool, cheerful day we hardly see and kids playing on the playgrounds — because!! There aren’t any playgrounds left!

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/09/02/article-2409292-1B96ADB2000005DC-933_634x375.jpg

Some open spaces have been hogged by builders to build building that weren’t even necessary in the first place! Some, on the other hand are sadly not available for public use, for example- The Delhi Golf Club — is a humongous land extending up to 180 acres, but it is absolutely exclusive to its members and well the membership is not easy.

This is just one example, there are many more and a lot of which may even be in your neighborhoods. Like, a school located on a land which was once a pretty park, a mall standing on a ground where children used to play earlier, the list can go on and may not end.

I’m not against these gigantic golf clubs, malls and schools, I’m just in the favour of having some open land left for the public, for children to play, for people to stroll and be actually able to see the blue sky and fluffy clouds above amidst the concrete skyline of the city.

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