Fire at Kondapur's Pala Pitta Cycling Park; 150-200 cycles destroyed

Hyderabad: A cycle shed at the Pala Pitta Cycling Park in Kondapur caught fire on the night of 19 March. Around 150-200 bicycles parked in the shed were destroyed.

The park authorities said only two security guards were present at the park when the incident happened. They tried to douse the fire but were unable to control it.

Fire officer Ranga Reddy said the real cause of the incident is still under investigation. However, preliminary investigation revealed that the fire started due to the carelessness of the local people. "Somebody from outside threw a match stick into the park and that spread to the cycle shed," said the fire officer. He also said that there were some old tires and tubes inside the shed which fuelled the fire.

A safe space for cyclists

Situated opposite the Botanical Garden in Kothaguda in Kondapur, the Pala Pitta Cycling Park was started in 2017 by the Telangana State Forest Development Corporation (TSFDC) to provide a green, safe, and healthy cycling experience to the residents of the city. The cycling track runs through a serene forest reserve. People can either bring their cycles or rent a cycle from the park. It's a one-of-a-kind initiative, the only exclusive cycling zone in the city providing safe, green space to cycling enthusiasts.

Yogesh, a regular visitor to the park, was shocked when he heard about the incident. "That's a huge number of cycles destroyed and a huge loss of financial resources and utility. This is disappointing to all cycling enthusiasts," he said.

He visited the park on Monday to find out what had actually happened. "According to one of the security guards, the fire occurred due to a short circuit and the resultant bursting of a meter box. The fire spread to the cycle shed. One of them said around 150 cycles were burnt while the other said the number was over 200," said Yogesh who holds a monthly pass at the park.

Poor maintenance

"On weekends a lot of people come here. But the place is not properly monitored or maintained. People throw garbage from outside into the park. Also, men urinate on the outside walls of the park. This damages the place and demotivates cycling enthusiasts who come from different parts of the city," said Yogesh, a resident of Gachibowli.