U.P’s urban green spaces: Corporate houses, RWAs queue up to maintain parks

In a major boost to enhancing urban green spaces, 402 parks have been adopted across various urban local bodies (ULBs) in just the last three months.
Principal secretary, urban development, Amrit Abhijat said, “The park adoption policy introduced in July this year to promote the participation of private entities in maintaining and upgrading public parks, offers flexible terms for adoption. This policy seems to be well-adopted by private companies, societies, trusts, and resident associations across the state.
“Entities can choose to manage entire parks or contribute to specific areas or facilities, such as installing water dispensers, facilitating dustbins, or even sculptures. The adopted parks will prominently display the name of the adopting agency at the entrance, ensuring visibility and recognition to the adopters for their contributions with urban local bodies.
“The enthusiasm with which corporate offices and resident welfare associations have come forward to adopt parks reflects a growing sense of civic responsibility. This initiative not only beautifies our cities but also encourages community engagement in maintaining public spaces.This growing civic engagement not only enhances our cities’ aesthetics but also fosters community involvement in public space maintenance.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the adopting entities are permitted to organise cultural and educational events such as flower shows, yoga classes, and meditation camps for up to 20 days annually, subject to prior approval from the local urban body. They may also display advertisements and signboards within the parks, following guidelines of Park Adoption Policy.
The policy, which prohibits sub-letting of park maintenance, has been particularly successful in major cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Agra, where multiple parks have already been adopted by prominent corporate houses and local businesses. The government hopes that this trend will continue, fostering an environment where public spaces are well-maintained and cherished by the communities they serve.
Mayor Sushma Kharakwal said, “This initiative marks a significant shift in how urban green spaces are managed in Uttar Pradesh, aligning with broader goals of sustainable urban development and public-private partnership.”