Bhopal: Lack of trainer and poor management has left fitness equipment installed at Vardhman Sunset Park in a bad condition even before the inauguration of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) much-touted open-air scheme. Eight exercising equipment, including leg press, leg pull down, twister, cycling, multi gym, pendulum trainer, parallel bars and shoulder exerciser, worth Rs 1 lakh were installed in the last week of August by Khalsa company of UP.
The BMC had envisaged and implemented open-air gym facility in 12 parks of the city, like CTO Park and other with the aim of providing gym facilities to those who cannot afford gym. “I have been going to this park for morning walk for last several years. The park leads to a pathway along the Upper Lake which is an excellent place for morning walk. Some time back, I saw new equipment being installed. I thought that they were meant for children,” said Arvind Sharma, a businessman.
He further said, “Later, I realised that they were gym equipment. However, they are hardly being put to proper use. I have never seen anyone exercising on them. They have become playthings for children.” “It is a good initiative of BMC for fitness lovers but it should be well maintained. There is neither any instruction on the equipment nor any instructor or trainer. Also, the land where they had been installed is not paved.” said Rashmi Agrawal, a teacher who visits the park daily for morning walk. “Due to lack of proper trainer and poor management, these equipment have become a source of amusement for visitors here,” she added.
It is normal work out gym equipment. So, it can be done by anyone without any supervision. But it will be good if an instructor or trainer is deployed. If this equipment is installed for health purpose then hygiene too should be maintained. Also, this equipment should be kept under the shade so that fitness lovers could exercise freely anytime. And the machine too will not ruin.
– Naseen, senior trainer at The Fitness World Gym, Shymla Hills
The work of installing gym equipment in Vardhman Sunset Park is still in process. In the beginning, the company that installed the equipment deployed an instructor who instructed people about its use. What can we do anything if people start using it before its inauguration. The price of these equipment is around Rs 1 lakh. We have installed open-air gym at 12 parks in the city. The concept behind open-air gym is to provide these facilities to those who can’t go to gym due to high charge.
– Sudha Bharagaw, Deputy Commissioner, BMC
