Bengaluru: Once proud of its ‘Garden City’ moniker, Bengaluru is now struggling with a shortage of the very people who keep its famed green spaces alive — gardeners.Senior horticulture officials told TOI hiring has been largely stagnant for nearly two decades. Earlier, the department had about 300 permanent gardeners and 150 on daily wages; most have since retired, with no adequate replacements. “There has been no large-scale recruitment in over 20 years,” an official said.The stress shows most at the city’s two iconic lung spaces: Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. Cubbon Park — spread over 197 acres — also tends to the gardens around Raj Bhavan, Vidhana Soudha, the high court, and several govt properties. However, officials say they have 60-70 gardeners across about 300 acres under one division, against 350 sanctioned posts, forcing them to shuttle limited staff between sites. Another 10 workers are due to retire within a year, compounding the crunch. Lalbagh, spread over 240 acres, is similarly short-staffed. Of 120 sanctioned posts, only about 50 are filled, with contract workers plugging some gaps.The shortage has directly affected maintenance, and tasks such as lawn mowing, trimming, pest control, and plant nourishment are getting delayed. “Gardeners are the root of any park. They understand the soil’s rhythm. Cubbon Park and Lalbagh are already very beautiful, so imagine how much more beautiful and attractive we can make them look with greater manpower,” said additional director (horticulture) Jagadeesh, adding that despite limited manpower, the parks are kept in commendable shape.Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar had acknowledged the upkeep of parks during his recent ‘Walk with Bengaluru’ citizen grievance redressal programme, when he lauded the horticulture department staff for maintaining the green spaces properly. While he announced Rs 5 crore for the upkeep of Cubbon Park, many citizens and park enthusiasts urged him to pay attention to hiring ground staff.Officials insist that with at least 60% more gardeners, both parks could be maintained far more effectively.
