“The new parking lot is used for parking the cars of La Martinieres during school hours to avoid the jam caused at Minto Park and Beckbagan crossing,” said Arup Sanyal, a local of Rawdon Street. He added that the park consisted of a beautiful flower garden which has been recently demolished in order to expand the area.

Disturbingly, Sanyal continues saying that in the evening the vacant area turns into an antisocial den - being occupied by drug addicts and “ill-practitioners”.

With the flower garden gone, what is left of Rawdon Park minus the lot is a pitiful sight. The fast diminishing waterbody is certainly a reflection of how careless and neglectful the people of Calcutta has become... forgetting a virtual paradise near their homes. The best possible outcome for the environment would be the proper maintenance of the park. If the water body could be maintained by the PWD on a regular basis, the grass cut into manicured lawns and flowerbeds, Rawdon Park could easily regain its lost glory. People in the heart of the city could a blissful morning and afternoon walk – without a long walk!