NASHIK: Lack of maintenance at Goda Park has left the recreational ground desolate and almost abandoned. Unclean pathways, a constant stench, the problem of Goda parand lack of street lighting people complain that there are no lights from the patch near

near Chopda Lawns which has rise to security concerns are all issues that dog the park and have kept it from attracting citizens to it. Moreover, drainage from the city also seeps into the river.

Goda Park and the Godavari Beautification Project had been foremost on the agenda of the ruling MNS since elections. On his first day in office on March 19, mayor Yatin Wagh had conducted a meeting on Goda Park. A visit to the entire stretch of the Godavari and the Park was conducted on March 24, but things have reached a standstill since then.

When contacted Wagh said that the entire Goda Park project would have to be completed first and for that they needed to acquire land. "We have to acquire 22 kms of land to complete the Goda Park project. Some land belongs to the forest department while some belongs to the farmersand Malharkhan. Land from the forest nursery to either side of Someshwar has also to be acquired and this will take some time. but it would take some time. There are several backlogs which are being cleared discussed and approved during the Nashik Municipal Corporation's (NMC) general body meetings. This issue would take time. Furthermore, we have to coorindate with the collector's office for land acquisitionwe also have to coordinate with the collector's office," he said.

Commenting on On the repair and maintenance work at the of the already existing park, he said, "At present, the park has been constructed only from Chopda Lawns to Suyojit. Maintenance and repairs works of the park are being carried out by NMC but there are constraints due to the rains."

He added that due to the monsoon the water from the nullah flowing into the rive could not be controlledAbout the water from a nullah flowing into the river, he said that it was due to the rainy season and said that repair works are carried out as and when possible during the rainy season.

The park, which has a 9-km jogging track that stretchfrom Gharpure Ghat to Gangapur village and Ramwadi to the right of the river, falls within the NMC jurisdiction. the park includes a stretch of 4 km.