Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced plans to establish over 22 new open gyms in the city at a cost of Rs 31 lakh, even as most of the existing facilities remain in poor condition.
According to BMC officials, open gyms were set up in parks across the city in 2018 to encourage citizens to exercise during morning and evening walks.
Initially well-received, the initiative soon lost steam as the corporation failed to maintain the equipment. Many machines broke down, rusted, or were stolen due to lack of security.
Today, nearly 80% of the city’s open gyms are lying defunct, with iron equipment reduced to junk.
Despite this, BMC has issued a fresh tender for the purchase of 125 new machines of five types body shaper (twister), leg and thigh accessorizer, air swing, leg press, and bicycle 25 pieces of each.
The locations will be decided based on councilors’ demands, and Mayor Malti Rai is expected to inaugurate some of the sites once installation begins.
Officials of BMC’s Sports Cell claim that each open gym comes with a two-year maintenance warranty, but with the earlier installations now five years old, little has been done to keep them operational.
