VISAKHAPATNAM: Until about four years ago, there used to be a public park in Suryabagh near the police commissioner's office that was quite popular with Vizagites. Then came street vendors with their makeshift shops and soon temporary structures of worship sprung up. Gradually the shops and structures turned permanent, encroaching upon the park. Similarly, in the Old Town there used to be a green stretch near Dykes Water Tank. But today, without proper lighting and maintenance, the park has been encroached upon by slum dwellers, beggars and anti-social elements. There are many such now-extinct or near-extinct parks and gardens in the city, such as...
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