KOLKATA: Several parks in residential areas that were kept locked on Wednesday reopened at 4 p.m. for two hours on Thursday, two days after KMC stated that its parks would remain open in the evening. Ankit Agarwal, a Rawdon Street resident and lawyer who wanted the parks to reopen in the evening, went to all of the parks in the area after they reopened on Thursday.

“Rawdon Square, Victoria Square, and the Nature Study Park have been opened to the public. Citizens, particularly the elderly who are unable to leave the house in the morning or homemakers who are too busy to exercise,, will welcome the move,” he said, hoping the park timings will be extended so that more people can exercise in a safe environment.

On Thursday evening, Allen Park on Park Street, Minto Park, and Deshapriya Park were all open. Malay Mitra, a septuagenarian from Sarat Bose Road who arrived at Deshapriya Park at 5 p.m., said he had been planning to take a walk in the evening at his favourite park for a long time.

Parents of young children are now hoping that KMC and KMDA would also open the parks for kids. Children have been prohibited from entering parks for over a year and a half, though they are permitted to enter shops and theatres.

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