People play cards in this park despite this signboard. What's wrong with them?
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People play cards in this park despite this signboard. What's wrong with them?

The beautiful 2-acre Smriti Park, in Sector 55, Gurgaon, is frequented by cab drivers, labourers and delivery boys, who either use the park to take long naps or play cards until late evening.

People play cards in this park despite this signboard. What's wrong with them?

Residents of Sector 55, Gurgaon, seldom visit Smriti Park anymore. The beautiful 2-acre park is frequented by cab drivers, daily-wage labourers and delivery boys, who either use the park to take long naps or play cards until late evening.

Satbir Gujjar, a resident of Sushant Lok II, said, “The drivers park their cars on roads, and spend the day here. They just don’t play cards, they actually gamble. There's no check on them, no security guards to regulate entry. How can residents be comfortable visiting the park?"

Residents allege that these people have no fear of the authorities. Despite clear instructions on the park's board, they continue playing cards here. They said cabs should not be allowed to park inside residential areas.

Sangeeta Sharma, a resident of New Sathi Apartments, which is right opposite the park, said, “I have stopped going to the park altogether. These drivers stare at you like anything. It's very discomforting. I now go on walks inside our society."

 

Imagine what the park would have looked like without these people lying about             Photo: Anjoo Dalal

 

“This wasn't how it was earlier," said Rakesh Vaishnavi,  back resident of the sector. "I used to come here with my kids. But I was surprised to see how things have changed lately. The entry is almost blocked by the private cabs, and it is not sensible to take your family to the park anymore. It's sad that we have such a beautiful park in the sector but can't use it."

The park is surrounded by various residential areas — societies such as New Sathi Apartments, Golf Link Apartments and Shri Arihant Apartments, and colonies such as Sector 55 and Sushant Lok II. It even has several office complexes in the vicinity, such as  like Suncity Tower and Paras Downtown.  

"It is unbearable to sit in the cab all  day in this heat," said Ashok Yadav, a cab driver. “We prefer to stay close to official and residential complexes. That is why we come to the park to take some rest.” Yadav, however, did not comment on whether they played cards there.

Speaking to City Spidey, SHO sector 55, Inspector Arvind Kumar, said, “We are not even aware of the problem. Police Control Room (PCR) Van No 11 patrols the area. We will make sure it does so more frequently, especially in the evenings."