NDMC mulling partnering with pvt bodies for park upkeep

The cash-strapped NDMC is seeking to cut expenditure by partnering with private entities in maintenance of its parks which have tubewells, in lieu of giving them advertising rights.
North Delhi Mayor Ravinder Gupta said here today that the corporation was working on this new scheme.
He said there are "1,700 parks with tubewells facilities" falling under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation's jurisdiction, for which the scheme would be applicable.
A Memorandum of Understanding would be signed with the individual or an organisation which shows interest in maintaining such a park, he added.
"In an existing scheme, when a park is adopted for maintenance, they are given a payment of Rs 8,000 per acre on a monthly-basis but in the new policy, no payment would be given, only advertising rights would be given," Gupta said.

Under the new scheme, the focus would be on "improving the greenery" of the park and its upkeep. Besides, the issue of shortage of gardeners would also be addressed as gardeners withdrawn from such parks would be utilised in other areas where their need be.
The Mayor further said that a coordination committee would be constituted with members of the RWA concerned, chaudhary/mali, that would be responsible for monitoring of the maintenance of the park and improvement of greenery through plantation and overall development work.