CHENNAI: Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam on Friday said the Kalaignar Centenary Park being established on Dr Radhakrishnan Road at Rs 25 crore will boast several world-class facilities, including a 105-ft tall ‘wind tower super tree’, glass houses, rope car, open camping places for families to spend time, musical fountain, Rangoon creeper flora mines, steel pergola, fountains, restaurants, and rainwater harvesting facilities. The first phase of this project is expected to be completed within six months.
Answering queries from reporters after inspecting the works, the minister said the park will come up on a 6.09-acre plot worth around Rs 1,000 crore, which was earlier encroached upon by Agri Horticultural Society, a private organisation. The government retrieved it in 2023 following a long legal battle. The glass house will have ‘pasumai kudilgal’ with a variety of flowers and plants.
For the first time in the country, a 10-storeyed 105-ft super tree tower will be built at this park. This tower will have lift and air conditioning facilities and around 100 persons can view the entire Chennai city from this tower at a time. A horticultural museum with rare species of flowering plants and other flora. The establishment will be open to all students, botanical and horticultural experts, and the general public.
The entrance of the park will have stone displays bearing details of the schemes initiated by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for the agriculture sector. While Senganthal Park is located on the northern side of this proposed park, it has Semmozhi Poonga on the south side. The Semmozhi Poonga and the Kalaignar Centenary Park will be connected by a footbridge. Chief Minister MK Stalin laid foundation stone for this park on February 29.