GURUGRAM: A visit to the park always brings a refreshing feeling. More so if it is a well-maintained one, but if the toilets aren’t clean the experience turns a bit glum. Same is the situation with the Tau Devi Lal Park in Sector 23 Spread over an area of 20 acres, the park is frequently visited by senior citizens and is also a popular venue for hosting cultural shows, charity shows and protests.Though the park is well maintained, visitors have told TOI that the toilet has been left unclean for the past five years. When TOI visited the park on Tuesday, the sight was worth cherishing. The trellises were arranged neatly and the hedge-growth was properly trimmed. The walkways and cobbled paths are in proper shape while the rotating pumps eject a jet of water stream over a large range of garden sod, allowing it to grow rich green. As one moved towards the toilet complex inside the park, one was greeted by a strong stench.The toilet has accumulated so much filth that it is nearly impossible to enter the premises, let alone use it. Disused lingerie, sanitary napkins are littered in the small toilet cubicle while mud is smeared on its walls.“There is no problem with this park,” said Rakesh Sharma, a regular visitor. “I am happy with its maintenance but what repels me is the condition of its toilet. We cannot even use it. More than 100 senior citizens visit the park every day and they often face difficulties as they are unable to use the toilet in emergency, precisely because the toilet is in an unusable condition,” Sharma said.“The toilet has been this way for the last 5 months,” said Upinder Mehta, a resident of Sector 23. “One cannot even take a look at its condition. I don’t even walk past it. The door is open and lot of flies gorge over the filth which is lying uncleaned there for months. While the rest of the park is well maintained, the unhygienic condition of the toilet makes our visit uncomfortable. We are at a constant risk of contracting diseases because of the unclean toilet.”Residents claim that the toilet has become a blot on the park’s beauty. “Everyone who comes to this park clicks a picture of the unclean toilet and posts it on a WhatsApp group that also has government officials. But nobody takes action,” said Anjali Gupta, a resident of a nearby sector.I had recently visited the park as I had to attend a school function. I needed to go to the washroom, but looking at its condition I could not even step inside. It is the only park catering to the residents of the area and such poor is its condition,” said Col R C Chadha, a war veteran and president of global cultural foundation.According to the residents, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is responsible for the maintenance of the park. When contacted, a senior GMDA official clarified that park was not under their jurisdiction since Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran ( HSVP ), had not yet transferred it.Despite several attempts, estate officer Mukesh Solanki and HSVP administrator Chandra Shekhar Khare did not answer the calls.

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