COIMBATORE: Finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday gave shape to establishing Semmozhi Poonga (Park) in Coimbatore, which was announced by former chief minister M Karunanidhi during the World Classical Tamil Conference held in the city in 2010. The minister allocated Rs 172 crore for the project, the first phase of which would be taken up at a cost of Rs 43 crore.
The park will come up on 165 acres of land at Gandhipuram. For this purpose, the Coimbatore Central Prison which is spread across about 65 acres of land will be shifted to Bilichi, near Karamadai.
Explaining the project, Dr Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) will be the Project Executing Agency (PEA) and it has prepared the detailed project report.
In the first phase, the park would be developed on 45 acres without disturbing the functioning of the prison. The remaining land would be taken up once the prison is relocated.
“Additional Chief Secretary (Home, Prohibition, and Excise) K Phanindra Reddy on Saturday visited Bilichi and inspected the land and plan for constructing the new prison campus. We hope funds for this would be alloted during the debate on grants scheduled in April,” an officer added. CCMC commissioner M Prthap said the park will have 15 themed parks and gardens. “We will provide plug & play facilities in the park for working individuals to plug their laptop and work.”
(With inputs from R Kirubakaran)