Ahmedabad: An Oxygen Park in the Hebatpur area of the Thaltej ward, developed to improve air quality by planting thousands of trees using the Miyawaki method, has fallen into severe neglect. A large number of trees have dried up due to poor maintenance.

Opened to the public in 2022 under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the park was envisioned as a “green lung” for the Thaltej neighbourhood. However, it has instead turned into a site marked by dried plantations and damaged infrastructure.

Following reports highlighting the park’s poor condition, officials from the Garden Department visited the site on Wednesday. They attributed the neglect to ongoing infrastructure work in the vicinity.

Jayesh Upadhyay, Deputy Commissioner (Parks and Gardens), told the media, “Construction work was underway near the bridge, due to which the park gate remained closed. During this period, maintenance was affected… The park has been reopened for the past one month, and maintenance has now been resumed by Saanvi Nirman Company under the PPP model. A gardener and security guard have been deployed, and irrigation facilities are in place.”

Local residents, however, allege that the park remained neglected for nearly two years. One resident said the park had remained almost closed for the past two years, and they only recently noticed some activity, prompting them to visit again.

Another resident claimed that while some maintenance work has started in the past month, the park was largely inaccessible earlier. “Cleaning was not done, and snakes were frequently spotted. Due to safety concerns, we stopped visiting the park,” he said. He further added that residents had approached authorities, including the Garden Department, multiple times but received no response.

Residents also pointed out the lack of basic amenities. “If senior citizens spend time here, there is no provision for washrooms. A small facility would be helpful,” a resident suggested.

Contractor Faces Action

The park was handed over to the Saanvi Nirman Group for maintenance under the PPP model. Although the contract period has technically ended, the Garden Department has yet to take full control, and the contractor continues to be responsible for upkeep.

In view of the deteriorating condition, including dried trees near water lines and damaged boundary walls, authorities have initiated action.

“We have issued a notice to the contractor and will impose penalties,” an official said.

Although the park has now reopened and cleanup work is underway, questions remain over why the Municipal Corporation allowed the facility to deteriorate during the period of nearby construction. Residents are cautiously returning, hoping the Oxygen Park will finally serve its intended purpose. DeshGujarat