CHENNAI : Scene 1: Unmindful of the dust and mud, a middle-aged man sits on the ground of a Corporation park in Elephant Gate, finishing his lunch. There are five concrete benches in the park, but four of them are broken.
Scene 2: Scratching their heads and wiping the sweat from their brow, five children stand under the squinting sun, wondering what to do? The slide, swings and merry-go-round are rusted and broken.
Neglect and apathy are perhaps the only frequent visitors at Corporation parks in the city. Devoid of maintenance funds and civic amenities, the Corporation parks tell a sorry story to many for whom who come here for recreation.
Renuka G, a resident of Elephant Gate (Zone 5), says, “There is no proper play equipment for children so we can’t bring them along during our walks. We can’t go to nearby parks too, because they are in the same condition as well.”While civic infrastructure is a big concern, some parks face the problem of tipplers who wander about at night. A Corporation park in Otteri has for long been used by alcoholics, making it an uncomfortable atmosphere for residents.
“Youngsters around 18 to 20 years use this park for wrong activities in the night. Since there is no watchman to monitor, people come and go as per their wish,” rues Sivakumar R, a resident of Otteri.
Periyar Park in Tondiarpet has a similar story. This reporter spotted many alcohol bottles strewn inside bushes. Even, toilets have been dysfunctional for three months.
In some Corporation parks like the one in Old Washermenpet, stagnant rainwater has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In addition, the composting pits unattended for days emit a bad stench.
To find a solution, the City Corporation has handed over 554 parks out of 669 in city limits to private contractors for maintenance at a cost of `40 crore. However, the ‘maintenance’ part is yet to be reflected on the ground.
In its new norms stipulated for private contractors, the civic body has said that all staff must wear a uniform bearing the badge of the company, and the guards must be aged between 18 to 50.“The zonal officers will inspect the parks round the clock and strict action will be taken on private contractors if they don’t show improvement,” says a Corporation official with the Parks department.
The official also said that by January all the parks will pose a new look. “We have started replacing old play equipment. Contractors are mandated to ensure all maintenance and gardening equipment are in a ready state,” says the official.