Pune Municipal Corporation justifies ₹3.5 crore topiary garden at Salisbury Park
The garden which has been proposed by BJP’s Shrinath Bhimale said that the garden is unique concept and that is why the cost of the trees is high
HT Correspondent
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has justified the expenditure of ₹3.5 crore for the creation of a ‘topiary garden’ at Salisbury Park.
While the opposition parties criticised the PMC’s move to purchase fully-grown trees at costs of ₹1 lakh to ₹14 lakh each, PMC’s garden department officer said the topiary garden at Salisbury Park near Poonawala Garden has been planned on 3.5 acres land.
The garden has been proposed by BJP’s leader of the house in PMC, Shrinath Bhimale, who said, “This would be a unique garden in the city and would become a national attraction. The PMC is purchasing fully grown trees in various shapes, some of which are 25 years old. This is an art and is a unique concept and that is why the cost of the trees is high.”
Congress leader Arvind Shinde said his party is planning to file a complaint with the anti-corruption bureau with regards to all the recent tenders floated by the PMC.
Opposition leader Dilip Barate also criticised the expenditure and said the BJP was spending tax payers money indiscriminately.