From insects to peacocks: Seven children's theme parks to open in Delhi over next three months

A senior municipal official said that these parks are being developed under the AMRUT scheme and they contain 'sculpture play' installations.

Prefer HTon Google

From an insect-themed park in Saket to Peacock Park in Mayur Vihar— the development work on seven theme parks for children is at an advanced stage, and these facilities will be opened to the public over a three-month period between November and January, senior municipal officials said.

A senior municipal official said that these parks are being developed under the AMRUT scheme and they contain 'sculpture play' installations whereby children will be able to interact and play with the installations with different themes.

A part of Ajmal Khan Park in Karol Bagh is being developed around an octopus theme; M Block Park in Greater Kailash-II will feature a ‘Garuda' theme. Parks near PVR Saket feature an insect theme, Swasthya Vihar Park near the Laxmi Nagar District Centre has a marine theme, and a park in Mayur Vihar Phase-III will highlight the peacock theme.

"The installations in the insect and Aeroplane theme park areas are almost ready, and they will be opened first. By January, all seven parks will be operational," the official added.

A senior MCD official said that interactive play equipment in the form of sculptures was first used at Dino Park-- developed as an extension of the Waste to Wonder Park.

"In these new children's theme parks, we are setting up interactive play stations which are based on a theme. Swings, slides, balance beams, spiral tunnels and other equipment are designed on that theme. They are aimed at increasing children's curiosity, with sculptures of varying heights and shapes being created and woven into the parks in the form of functional elements, such as swings, slides, seating areas, dustbins and other accessories. The sculptures have been made using reinforced plastic and glass-reinforced cement fibre," the official explained.

The insect park, for instance, features installations themed around various insects such as a Spider Rope Climber with play modifications around the legs of a giant arachnid. Other installations include ant-shaped slides, Caterpillar balance beams, and Beehive spiral tunnels, among many.

"Just like innovative alterations have been made to the giant dinosaur replicas in the dinosaur park at Sarai Kale Khan, these structures will have swings, slides, climbing nets, tunnels and wall-holla weaved into the central insect replicas. ," the official added.

At the octopus-themed park, the tentacles will form slides, while at the marine-themed park, dustbins will take the shape of sea creatures, and benches and swings will resemble tortoises, jellyfish and starfish.

• 

  Paras Singh is a New Delhi-based journalist with Hindustan Times, where he serves as Deputy Metro Editor. He reports on urban governance, the Delhi government, the Delhi BJP, water management, the environment, communities and city life. He joined Hindustan Times in 2021 after beginning his journalism career at The Times of India in 2016, where he covered civic bodies, the water and power sectors, and urban infrastructure. Over the last decade, some of his reporting has led to significant public impact, with investigations into environmental violations, corruption and illegal industrial activity contributing to multiple judicial interventions by the National Green Tribunal and the Delhi High Court. A graduate of St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, Paras studied journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Having extensively covered the capital's evolving civic and governance landscape, his recent work increasingly explores Delhi's history, built heritage, urban evolution and the relationship between people and place, alongside continuing to report on governance and public policy.Read More