Hyderabad: Open gyms and children’s play areas in public parks across the city are facing severe maintenance issues. Residents are raising concerns over the safety of public infrastructure in parks and grounds, particularly after the death of a five-year-old boy at an open gym in Meerpet about 10 days ago.Parks in areas such as LB Nagar, Narayanguda, Tarnaka, Ameerpet and other areas across the city have open gym equipment in loose and dysfunctional conditions. In many places, caution signs to warn gym goers that the equipment is not working are absent, and protective surfacing under play equipment is missing. At a park in Ameerpet, the open gym equipment is found with loose or missing nuts. Locals said that users reported dizziness and vertigo after using the machinery. “My wife and I both felt dizzy after using the air walker. We told the park manager to get it checked and put up a board saying the machine is not working, but neither of them ever happened”, said P. Krishna Reddy, a resident. One week ago, a five-year-old boy died while playing in an open gym, after a piece of the equipment fell on the boy’s head. According to Meerpet SHO Nagaraju, “The boy was playing on the machine, when by accident he fell down and the machine’s part fell on his head. He suffered severe injuries, and died.” He further said that they are investigating why and how the accident occured. Authorities, however, are yet to launch a city-wide audit of public fitness and play infrastructure. Fitness experts have asserted the need for regular inspection of equipment. Vikas V., a fitness expert and bodybuilder, said “If the machines are not maintained properly, it not only affects the balance and posture of people using them, but can also cause injuries to.” “Using machines with loose or broken parts may lead to vertigo, dizziness or muscle strain, and in worse cases, can even cause serious injuries. Any physical training needs to be done on properly functioning and calibrated machinery”, he added. GHMC officials, however, are busy passing the buck on each other. When Deccan Chronicle contacted GHMC officials at the engineering wing, they said the maintenance of equipment is not their job, and passed on the responsibility to UBD. But the UBD officials passed the responsibility back to the engineering wing. Park goers requested GHMC and park management to conduct regular inspections along with having proper safety certifications for the machinery. Citizens stress that public spaces must be made safe and child-friendly, not death traps waiting to claim lives.
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