CHENNAI: Thanthai Periyar Park in Tondiarpet, one of the oldest parks in the heart of north Chennai, suffers from bad maintenance and lack of supervision.
Local residents said due to lack of supervising staff like watchmen, the park is used for drinking and smoking purposes by youngsters. ‘‘Youngsters come as early as 11 am to drink and they stay till late at night also. Sometimes they just sleep in the park in an inebriated condition,’’ said Selvan G, a shop keeper adjacent to the park.
When Express visited the park, empty alcohol bottles were scattered all around the bushes and quite a few people were lying on the floor, not very far from the bottles.
Decades ago, this park used to be very popular for walking and recreational activities but now people, mainly women and children feel unsafe. ‘‘It is mostly women who come in the evenings with their children and the atmosphere is very unsafe as drunk youth tend to cat-call or tease young girls and women alike,’’ said Sharmila, a visitor.
The Periyar park has a historical connect with like the Robinson Park, the birthplace of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. The park in Tondiarpet was established by DMK in the 60s honouring the anti-caste crusader 'Periyar' EV Ramaswamy, it is said.
Though the civic body does not know the exact footfall, officials said from 200-300 people daily visit the park, which is about 2 acres of land size.
Civic woes
Though named after a notable leader, the civic amenities and surroundings of the park, maintained by the city corporation, are not upto the mark. The entrance of the park at Arunachaleshwar Kovil street is flanked by construction debris, bricks, sand heaps. A temple alongside the park has completely encroached about five feet of the road.
On the Cross Road, adjacent to the park, rusted garbage bins of city corporation has been dumped upside down. Similarly, on the LIG colony street, behind the park, huge heaps of garbage regularly dumped by residents remain uncollected for many months causing an eyesore to the public. Unclaimed lorries have been parked too.
The whole area surrounding the park looks corroded and stinks of bad odour due to public urination by people. The park has eight newly built toilets but it has been closed ever since it was built three months ago, said residents.
"Corporation has built new buildings for toilets but it remains locked. They have built water sumps but the connection is yet to be given," said Selvan, the vendor. The clock tower inside the park too is dysfunctional showing four different times on four sides.
When contacted by Express, corporation officials said Assistant Engineers and sanitary inspectors will be sent to look at the mess. ‘‘Toilets too will be opened in a week and water facilities will be provided,’’ said the official.