Shivaji Park pool: 'Change is visible, pool is being cleaned'

A dirty changing room (right) a clean changing room with a mirror

After mid-day exposed the BMC's negligence in the upkeep of Shivaji Park pool, ward officials got to work and summoned the contractor, who has now fixed the doors, taps and partitions in the changing rooms and installed mirrors. "The cleanliness at the swimming pool is visible now," a swimmer told mid-day. The corroded lockers of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool, however, have not been changed yet. The pool management assured that new ones would be set up soon.

The pool administration says corroded lockers would be removed soon

mid-day highlighted the plight of the city's biggest pool in its March 24 report, following complaints from swimmers about lack of cleanliness and how the pool was falling apart. Besides the missing mirrors at the washbasins and taps, partitions in the changing rooms were broken. Moreover, a duct covering near the pool and tiles were broken, while the diving board was nowhere to be found.

Acting immediately, G South ward, which is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the pool, summoned the contractor hired for the job. Ward officials gave the contractor a deadline to fix the pool. In the next couple of days, doors and mirrors appeared in the changing rooms. "The change is visible now and the pool area is maintained very well. The crucial part of the pool is cleanliness, which has improved, too," a swimmer told mid-day.

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Washbasins without mirrors (right) The contractor has installed mirrors at the washbasins

"After the mid-day report, the contractor was summoned and informed of the shortcomings. As the summer vacation was fast approaching, he was told to get the work done as soon as possible. We are in the process of fixing all the problems pointed out by the members," an official of the pool administration said. More than 1,200 access the Shivaji Park pool daily.

1,200
Approx no of people who use pool daily