Bengaluru parks set for another round of citizen action

Bengaluru: For residents looking to spend their weekend doing more than just unwinding, city parks will be the focus of a fresh round of citizen-led volunteering activities under TOI’s #IamBengaluru – Volunteer For Parks.

Following the participation of hundreds of volunteers over the past two weekends, the initiative is back with activities aimed at making neighbourhood parks greener, cleaner and more vibrant.

Presented by Multigen in association with Kristu Jayanti University and supported by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the programme will see NGO partners Youth for Seva, Adamya Chetana, Hasiru Dala and Youth for Parivarthan lead activities across the city.

The weekend line-up includes sapling plantation and park maintenance in Banashankari, source segregation and waste management awareness sessions in Koramangala, plogging and clean-up drives at Doddakallasandra and Chunchaghatta. In Malleswaram, Youth for Parivarthan will showcase a park transformation project, highlighting how sustained citizen participation can help revive public spaces.

Amith Amarnath, founder and president of Youth for Parivarthan, said the initiative is about building civic ownership rather than merely maintaining parks. “#IamBengaluru – Volunteer For Parks creates a meaningful platform for citizens to actively participate in the upkeep of public spaces. Civic awareness is created not merely through words, but through action. When citizens themselves come forward to restore and care for public spaces, they begin to develop a stronger sense of ownership and responsibility,” he said.

Amarnath said Youth for Parivarthan spent the past 12 years cleaning and beautifying public spaces across Bengaluru. “Many people want to give back to society but are looking for the right platform. Initiatives like this provide that opportunity. The real impact will not only be cleaner parks, but a lasting change on how citizens view and care for public spaces,” he added.

Residents can register at iambengaluru.co.in or by scanning the QR code.