Divyang park to come up in Lucknow soon

Lucknow, April 26 A divyang park is being planned in the CG City in Lucknow, designed especially for persons with special abilities.

The park will have underwater treadmills, resistance jets, occupational therapists and hydrotherapy consultation centres.

The tender to establish the first of its kind park in the country with a budget of Rs 9.16 crore was floated by Lucknow Smart City on Tuesday.

Officials said once the contractor and suitable agency which can create the infrastructure gets identified, it will take 10-12 months to get the park fully operational.

To be developed adjacent to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University site in Chakgajaria, the park for individuals with disabilities will be spread over a 10-acre wide land parcel.

Though divyang parks have been set up in Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar recently, the elements that will be introduced in the Lucknow park will cater to the needs of 21 disabilities that have been defined by the central government.

The park will also have something to offer to the parents of such children and grown-up individuals.

Additional chief executive officer of Lucknow Smart City Limited, Pankaj Singh said, "Counselling sessions and consultation services will be organised for parents and primary caregivers. We will find and depute a team of professionals at the park who will work closely with the caregivers to ensure treatment plans are implemented appropriately and the child keeps progressing towards his or her goals. "

The park will be open only for children detected with such disabilities and their caregivers and charges of the experts to be deputed in the park will be decided once the facility and infrastructure is ready. Officials said that reasonable fees will be taken from the parents.

A senior officer said that a basketball court, skating track, jogging track, play area, amphitheatre and open-air gym will be set up to improve the sporting and outdoor experience of the children.