CHENNAI: After a delay of almost a year, work at an Open Space Reservation (OSR) land in Mandaveli to convert it into a park is inching closer to completion. Officials from Parks Department of the Greater Chennai Corporation confirmed that the park, to be named RK Nagar Poonga, will be thrown open to public by the first week of September.
Construction work for the park, which started by July 2018, is being carried out at a budget of `73.58 lakh. Being built across 17,350 sq ft of land, it will have a play area for children, a badminton court, and a walking track, said an official. “We also have plans to build a gym inside the park. There will also be a composting pit which will be used to make manure with dry leaves, for plants in the park,” said a Parks Department official.
Though this OSR land is being made into a park by the Corporation, officials say there are more than 20 unutilised plots in Mylapore. “The zone 9 Corporation website shows only two plots — near Radhakrishnan Salai and one in Nandanam — as OSR lands. But, I have spotted more than 20 such plots. Most of these are empty and not utilised. We plan to work on them one at a time,” said Natraj R, MLA of Mylapore constituency.
Located on RK Nagar 2nd Main Road, the park will be a space of greenery. The residents are sceptical about the future maintenance of the park by Corporation officials. “I hope that the park serves its purpose of catering to the residents and children instead of becoming a hub for anti-social elements,” said Shravan Raghunathan, a resident of 1st Cross Street.
They want officials to include members from local resident welfare associations to coordinate the park’s maintenance. “We have also asked officials to clear all encroachments on pavements leading to the park, so that senior citizens will have a clear path to commute to the park. Anti-social elements can be monitored only if residents work along with the officials,” said Prema Raghavan, a resident of 2nd Cross Street.