KOLKATA: Most of the parks across the city reverted to pre-Covid hours on Monday. Citizens, particularly children and the elderly, welcomed the development and utilized the relaxed timings to take a stroll, exercise and generally relax in the lap of nature after being cooped up at home for prolonged periods.
Citizens have for some time now been demanding that parks and lakes that had been shut in the wake of the third wave be reopened. KMC had initially announced the opening of the parks for three hours in the morning. But with doctors advising people to walk in the afternoon rather than morning in winter to avoid pollution, citizens demanded longer hours. But KMC announced the opening of parks for three hours in the evening instead, triggering protests. Prominent personalities wrote an open letter to CM, requesting her to open public spaces. With pressure piling up, KMC mayor-in-council (parks & squares) member Debashis Kumar on Saturday said all parks would be opened.
