300 parks in Chennai to get a facelift worth Rs 13 crore
A visit by DT Next to some of the parks revealed that lack of cleaning to be a common issue
Uncleared dry leaves and garbage in My Lady park, Periamet in Royapuram zone
CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation will soon renovate and repair 300 parks in the city at Rs 13 crore. The development comes in the wake of denizens demanding better maintenance of parks.
A visit by DT Next to some of the parks revealed that lack of cleaning to be a common issue. Footpaths inside the premises are damaged, and the lawns are littered with dry leaves and garbage.
Disappointed residents urged the GCC to replace the broken structures and also ensure that the play areas were safe.
Advocate E Manoj, a resident in Periamet, says, “My Lady’s park in Ward 58 (Royapuram) is one of the oldest parks in the city, located just 1km away from the GCC building. MGR movies and Jaishankar movies have been shot there. The growth of grass goes unchecked and it enables mosquito breeding. No one can spend more than five minutes due to the mosquito menace. Also, pesticide fumigation is missing.”
The Thiruvengada Nagar park in Ward 81 (Ambattur) is another eyesore. According to residents, people around 8 km use the park even when it doesn’t provide quality space. All the see-saws, swings and slides are all broken. “Despite several complaints over the past three years, officials have neglected to repair them. For the past two days, contract workers have not cleaned or watered the plants in the park,” said Suresh Subramanian, United Welfare Association.
When contacted, a senior Corporation official said that the civic body had identified 300 parks to be repaired and renovated. “The renovation costs Rs 13 crore and it’s spread across 15 zones of the Corporation. Public grievances over cleaning and broken equipment in the play area will be addressed soon, as the tender process is on the cards,” the official stated.
