COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has begun preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rs 200 crore Semmozhi Poonga at the Central Prison ground. The civic body has allotted Rs 1 crore for the preparation of the DPR for the project which will be developed on 45 acres of prison land.
Last year, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that Semmozhi Poonga will be established at Gandhipuram as part of efforts to increase green cover of the city. The park will be developed once central prison, which is located on 165 acres, is relocated. The proposed Semmozhi Poonga will have a walkers track, open-air theatre and other facilities.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Prathap said the Semmozhi Poonga will be created on about 100 acres and the civic body has been allotted about 45 acres by the prison department for the first phase.
“Of the 165 acres of prison land, we shall be developing the park on 100 acres. We will conduct a study later to check the feasibility of expanding the park and shifting the VOC Zoo to the Poonga,” he added. Further, the Commissioner said the civic body has roped in several NGOs and designers to give suggestions for the Semmozhi Poonga and have also asked them to add a few commercial elements in the park to generate some revenue for the civic body.