Parks attract crowds but rising costs keep poor away

Witness 700k visitors in two days as ticket prices surge

RAWALPINDI:

On the first day of Eidul Fitr, recreational parks across the city were packed with families, while children's excitement peaked with activities such as boating, dodging cars, electronic games, Jungle Kingdom, and animal enclosures.

After offering Eid prayers and sharing traditional meals like vermicelli, kheer, and halwa puri with loved ones, families thronged all 54 large and small parks in the city.

However, children from low- and middle-income families were unable to afford the high fees for rides, boating, dodging cars, Jungle Kingdom, haunted houses, and other attractions. Instead, they spent their time enjoying free, traditional metal swings installed in corners of the parks.

Parking fees were set at Rs100, while camel and horse rides cost Rs300. Ticket prices for rides, including dodging cars, monorail, and computerised electronic games, ranged between Rs250 and Rs500.

Food items were significantly more expensive than the open market, with prices up by 50 per cent.

Namkeen snacks were sold at Rs200, chaat and fruit chaat at Rs400, and small juice bottles at Rs110.

During the first two days of Eid, parks including Ayub Park, Jinnah Park, Joyland, Rawal Park, Allama Iqbal Park, Ladies Park, Rumi Park, Children's Park, 502 Workshop Park, Khayaban Park, and New Katarian Park witnessed massive crowds. Around 700,000 people visited parks during the two days.

Park timings were extended from 9am to midnight for the three days of Eid. However, protests erupted at Rawal Park and Shehbaz Sharif Park when they did not open until 11:30am on the first day.