Residents of Bengaluru’s Malleswaram area have revived the neglected Aane Park after a community-led cleanup drive, only to object when flex boards featuring local BJP MLA CN Ashwathnarayan appeared at the entrance the following morning.
The elephant-themed park, also known as Elephant Park, had reportedly deteriorated over several years, with residents saying it was frequently closed and had become a dumping ground. Concerned about the loss of a usable green space in the dense residential neighbourhood, local residents and young volunteers organised a cleanup drive last weekend.
The campaign was funded partly through contributions from residents. The Greater Bengaluru Authority supported the effort by providing a truck to remove debris and waste from the park, according to the report. Residents worked inside the park to clear accumulated rubbish and reclaim the space for community use.
The dispute began after plastic flex boards carrying photographs of Ashwathnarayan appeared in front of the park gate. The boards celebrated the park’s opening, but residents questioned the timing and objected to what they viewed as an attempt to claim credit for work carried out by the community.
Residents reportedly removed the boards and placed them in the waste truck that was taking debris away from the site. Preeti, a volunteer who led the cleanup drive, said the incident had diverted attention from the civic effort. “Somebody does the work, somebody else takes credit for it,” she said, according to the report.
The episode highlights the practical role residents can play when public spaces fall into disrepair, but it also raises questions about the division of responsibility between citizens and the agencies tasked with maintaining parks. Aane Park’s reported condition indicates that the space remained underused despite being located within an established residential area of Bengaluru.
The report said Ashwathnarayan has represented the area since 2008. Residents cited in the report attributed the park’s deterioration to years of neglect and a lack of accountability from elected representatives. Those claims were made by residents and were not independently established in the supplied report.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority’s role in removing the waste shows that municipal support can help community-led efforts move beyond volunteer labour. However, the cleanup itself does not establish whether the park has been formally reopened, who will be responsible for its regular maintenance or whether any long-term restoration plan has been approved.
The controversy also spread online, with users criticising the MLA on his social media accounts after the flex boards appeared. The immediate next step for the park will be continued maintenance and clarification of its operating status, including when residents can access it and which civic authority will oversee it.
