Open-air gyms in the parks across Dwarka are suffering due to the negligence of civic and developmental agencies i.e. the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). Poor maintenance has left the equipment at these gyms in a shambles. The equipment there even started inflicting injuries on their users.
Hence, most of the equipment at these gyms are lying unused.
There are hundreds of such gyms in the DDA parks and those parks under SDMC. The authorities did nothing in the name of maintenance. People say they (officials) never visit the parks to check whether the equipment are working properly or not.
Ravi Shankar, a resident of Sector 10, said, "The equipment at the open-air gyms in the sector are in a dilapidated state. I have seen it in the gyms of the DDA in DDA parks and that of the SDMC in SDMC parks. People, somehow, still manage to use them. They need to be maintained."
Similarly, in Sector 14, behind Radhika Apartments, the cross trainer and the wheel machines can be seen in a damaged state.
Such damaged machines can easily be seen in the parks at Sector 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 19 etc. RK Singh, a resident of Sector 19, said, "I use the gym at the DDA park in Sector 19. I got hurt while using the swing machine as it came off being loose. The pedestal of the cross trainer was loose. I was using it somehow, by managing my rhythm. But, unfortunately, I was hurt. I don't know who to approach for this. But this must be repaired as soon as possible."
The number of gyms has increased in Dwarka and this time, according to sources, more than hundred such gyms are there in public parks. But the maintenance of the gyms is still a big question in front of the community and also the authority.
On being asked about the maintenance of the gyms, one of the DDA officials said on condition of anonymity, "The DDA has installed the gyms in Dwarka earlier and the work was done by a company. It’s the responsibility of that company to maintain the gyms."
More than three years have passed, but no company came forward for the upkeep of the gyms, nor any agency took charge of the maintenance. The DDA is abdicating its responsibility saying its duty was to provide the gyms, not its maintenance.
On the other hand, more such open gyms are coming up in the parks of the municipal corporation. But, according to officials, it is yet to be decided as to who should look after their maintenance.
"We do look after the gyms sometimes on complaints. But there is no proper system or responsibility on anyone for that,” said an official of the SDMC who did not want to be named.
Whatever be the condition of the open-air gyms in the park, some fitness conscious people still use them. Today, gyms have become part of lifestyle of the community. Under this situation, the agencies or the political establishment who have installed them should evolved a system for their maintenance.
