Malleshwaram’s Aane Park in Bengaluru has received a community-led revival after residents and the horticulture department worked together to restore the neighbourhood park and repair its signature elephant-shaped slide. The repair was completed on Saturday evening, after which local residents gathered at the park and children began using the slide.
The park had remained neglected for nearly two decades, according to residents. Its restoration was initiated after resident Preethi Sundarajan drew attention to the deteriorated condition of the public space. Residents then began cleaning the park in coordination with the horticulture department and created a WhatsApp group to organise the work.
The restoration cost ₹99,500. Residents said ₹62,400 of the amount was collected from members of the public. The work included the repair of the elephant-shaped slide, which is described as one of the park’s main attractions.
Students from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology — Anaya, Saadia, Maitri and Tanya — helped restore the appearance of the elephant slide. They applied colours based on the recollection of an elderly Malleshwaram resident, who remembered the shades used on the artwork earlier.
The repaired slide was opened for children after the work was completed. Residents celebrated the restoration at the park, where children played on the structure. The revival has also drawn attention to the role that neighbourhood groups can play in maintaining small public spaces when local participation is coordinated with the responsible civic department.
The Aane Park restoration was carried out through a combination of public contributions, resident participation, student involvement and departmental cooperation. Residents described the low-cost, collective effort as a model that could be adopted for other neglected parks in the city.
The work also highlights the condition of neighbourhood-scale public spaces, which serve children and nearby residents but may receive less attention than larger urban parks. In this case, the restoration began with residents identifying the deterioration, followed by cleaning efforts, fundraising and repair of a feature closely associated with the park.
The completed slide and restored park are now available for local use, with residents and the horticulture department having jointly supported the project.
