Citizens Oppose Private Projects At Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park

While the Swiss Consulate in Bengaluru has proposed the introduction of ‘Barn Parours’ (a circular path that starts and ends at the same spot), RazorPay has proposed the installation of a statue of ‘unicorn with flying horse’ at Cubbon Park. However, the move met with derision from the citizens.
We would like to introduce the concept of Bärn Parcours from Switzerland to Bengaluru. The first parcours (fitness/vitality trail) was created in 1968 in Zurich. The VITA Parcours Foundation supports Iree sports for communities and physical activity for families and promotes health awareness among the population in Switzerland, the proposal by the Swiss Consulate titled ‘Bengaluru Moves’ read.
The proposal added, The principle of this concept is simple; it is an open-air, marked fitness circuit, dotted with exercise stations. It promotes sport in the community by offering every citizen the opportunity to train at their own pace, on days and at times that suit them. It is sustainable for the environment since it maintains the natural ecosystem and is comfortable for people in today’s society of social distancing.
It further read, Approximately 1.6 to 4 km in length, the Parcours have around 12 to 16 built-in stops for flexibility and endurance training. It combines bodyweight exercises for mobility, agility and strength, and interspersing them with cardio training. This facilitates people to walk/jog along the trail and exercise in designated areas along the way. Additionally, it also includes some cognitive tasks to improve mental fitness.
The proposal added, A sign at each stop details the exercises and the number of repetitions to be completed. Each exercise has three different levels of difficulty, allowing people to train according to their individual needs. This makes it accessible for one and all, irrespective of age, affluence or expertise. Additionally, the exercises can be integrated with breathing exercises (Pranayama) to facilitate a holistic fitness experience. The exercise stations along the circuit are simplistic and minimal such that they form a part of the natural surroundings, retaining the natural ecosystem as is. One can perform multiple exercises using one piece of equipment. The Swiss Consulate project is estimated to cost Rs 16 lakh.