Pet park to welcome furry guests

A senior SDMC official said that the park will have facilities like dog trail, space for running, swimming, digging, trailing and tricks for the canines.

New Delhi: Pet owners of the national capital have a reason to rejoice as an exclusive park where their four-legged friends can play, socialise, and get pampered will be launched by March next year, officials said.

A brainchild of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the park will have space for pet grooming, off-leash area for dogs and cats to stretch, veterinary clinic with facilities for surgery, play area, and stalls selling pet food and accessories.

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It will also have a day shelter where pets can rest when their owners are away. “This pet park will be developed in a one-acre area near Jangpura in south Delhi and we have identified two-three sites… We are committed to complete this project by March 2022,” SDMC’s Horticulture Director, Alok Singh said.

Singh said work for the project will be awarded soon as the civic body is making “serious efforts” to give this idea a practical shape. He said the concept to develop such a facility was derived from dog parks in Bengaluru and Greater Hyderabad. Once opened, the pet park will be the first such facility in entire Delhi-NCR, he added.

SDMC Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti said it is often seen that people do not let owners walk their pets in parks and gardens in residential localities and many a times such situations lead to verbal duels. “So, it was necessary to create such a facility in the city. With the opening of the pet park, such problems will be solved. People will have a dedicated park for their pets. Many pet-friendly facilities and activities will be developed in the park,” Bharti said.

A senior SDMC official said that the park will have facilities like dog trail, space for running, swimming, digging, trailing and tricks for the canines.

The park will have a dedicated space for defecating and a provision for waste bag dispenser to collect pet poop in the bag. Covered dustbins will be installed to collect such waste, an official said.

“The park has a provision of a cafeteria and gazebos for visitors to relax while their pets play and socialise with other pets,” the official said, adding thee will ample space for parking for the visitors. According to Singh, the visitors will have to pay a fee which is yet to be decided.