Petition to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam
For decades, the Janata Bhawan Playground (also known as the Dispur Parade Ground) has been far more than an open field. It is the heart of our community—a place where children learn to play, young athletes train, senior citizens walk every morning, families gather, and nature continues to survive amidst the ever-growing concrete landscape of Dispur.

Today, this invaluable public space faces the threat of being converted for administrative purposes.

If this happens, thousands of residents of Dispur and nearby localities will lose their only accessible playground and walking ground.

Why this playground matters
It is the only major playground in central Dispur.

Hundreds of children use this ground every day for outdoor games and physical activities. At a time when excessive screen time and sedentary lifestyles are affecting young people, this playground provides a safe and healthy environment for recreation.

It nurtures future sportspersons.

The City Cricket Coaching Centre and the football coaching programmes of the Assam Jogging Association have trained hundreds of promising young athletes here over the years. Losing the ground would severely disrupt these programmes and deprive future generations of sporting opportunities.

It is a lifeline for senior citizens.

Every morning, hundreds of senior citizens, women, fitness enthusiasts, and morning walkers use the walking track for exercise, yoga, and social interaction. For many elderly residents, this routine is essential for maintaining their physical and mental health.

It is the green lung of the Secretariat area.

The mature trees surrounding the playground were planted and nurtured by local residents over the past three decades. They provide shade, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and help reduce the urban heat of the city. Once lost, this green cover cannot be replaced overnight.

It has served the community for over three decades.

Since 1995, the Assam Jogging Association has been operating its gymnasium, yoga centre, and football coaching activities from this ground. Thousands of citizens have benefited from these facilities, including many eminent personalities and public representatives.

We support development—but not at the cost of public health
We understand the Government's need for administrative expansion around Janata Bhawan. However, development should not come at the cost of destroying one of the capital city's last remaining public sports and recreation spaces.

A modern capital needs administrative buildings and accessible public parks and playgrounds. The two can—and must—coexist.

Our demands
We respectfully urge the Government of Assam to:

Retain the Janata Bhawan Playground in its present location as a permanent public sports and recreation ground.
If relocation becomes absolutely unavoidable, first develop a fully equipped alternative playground within the immediate vicinity before closing the existing ground.
The alternative facility must include:

A proper walking and jogging track;
Children's play areas;
Cricket and football coaching infrastructure;
Open spaces for public recreation;
A suitable building for the Assam Jogging Association's office, gymnasium, and yoga centre.
Maintain the status quo until the alternative facility is completely ready and opened for public use. No existing sports infrastructure, gymnasium, coaching facilities, or trees should be removed before then.
Why your signature matters
This is not merely about saving a playground.

It is about protecting children's right to play, safeguarding public health, preserving green spaces, promoting sports, and ensuring that urban development remains people-centric.

If we remain silent today, Dispur may permanently lose one of its last open public spaces.

Together, let us tell the Government that development must be balanced with environmental protection, public health, and the interests of future generations.

Please sign this petition and share it widely. Every signature strengthens our collective voice and helps protect this precious community space for our children, our senior citizens, and generations to come.