A Jogger`s delight!

Cityplus takes a look at the HMDA Walkway around the KBR National park.
 
In a city where most streets have no footpaths and the sidewalks that exist are bursting from a gridlock of walkers, street vendors and squatters. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's (HMDA) Walkway around the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park is the only saving grace for the denizens.
The Walkway developed by HMDA somewhere around 2001 has been a blessing for the health conscious. This location provides a turf complimented with lush green surroundings and topped with a pinch of wildlife.
A place like this is unheard of and unthinkable in a growing city like Hyderabad. This preserved chunk of nature has enabled the joggers in the city to disconnect from the hustle bustle and pollution in the dust- ridden city. "When I first came to Hyderabad, I was disappointed as like any other city, there was no place for walkers to walk. It was only when I shifted to Banjara Hills that I accidently found this place. It has been 3 years now and I have been coming here to jog every day," said Rajan Varma.
From joggers to martial art practitioners, all can be seen on this walkway. We spoke to Shrikant, a senior Government officer about the park. He said, "I come here with a bunch of friends every alternate day and we perform yoga in a group of eight. It helps us all to relieve stress and keep fit. The surroundings are great as a place like this in the middle of a city can't be imagined. It is more like a mini forest."
The KBR park plays host to all kinds of people, from different walks of life- some busy jogging, some chatting with friends, some busy with their yoga and exercises, and some just strolling around.
KBR Park was declared a National park in 1998 and has been acting as the 'Green Lung' of the city. The park has over 140 species of birds, 600 species of plants and 30 different varieties of butterflies and reptiles. Some of the animals making their home in the park include: pangolin, small Indian civet, peacock, jungle cat and porcupines. It is beautiful to find peacocks and peahens strolling along the pathways. While taking a walk or jogging on the walkway around KBR Park you may come across some interesting sign boards which read- "Don't shoot anything except photographs" and "Wood is a durable timber."
Cityplus spoke to P. Rajender Reddy, Director, Urban Forestry, HMDA about the park. He told us, "The walkway is around 5 km in length and 20 meters in width, at an average. The land originally belonged to the Nizam but after the Urban Land Ceiling, the land has been reduced to some 6 acres inside the park with a palace and a mosque there. Though KBR Park is a National park and is spread over 350 acres, HMDA has no control over it. We were given this strip which we developed into a walkway with 10 entry points so people can have multiple entry and exit options and we don't charge anything for entry." Speaking about the volume of walkers and joggers he further said, "We get around 1700-2000 walkers every day. For their convenience, we have constructed kiosk points at ever exit where small joints sell health drinks and fruit juices."
HMDA walkway is perhaps the only refuge for the health conscious in the city. Cityplus suggests all morning and evening walkers living around Banjara and Jubilee Hills, who are unaware of this fitness destination, to go and check it out.

"I come here with a bunch of friends every alternate day and we perform yoga in a group of eight. It helps us all to relieve stress and keep fit. The surroundings are great as a place like this in the middle of a city can't be imagined. It is more like a mini forest.
shrikant, resident"

--Danish Manzoor