TIRUCHY: The city corporation’s project to set up a park on the unused space along the Karur bypass road overbridge, which commenced in April 2024, has come to a standstill after the allocated funds dried up over six months ago. Expressing concern over the neglect the completed structures face, residents urge the civic body for necessary steps to resume work and complete the park at the earliest.
Allocating Rs 58.3 lakh for the project, the corporation in February 2024 announced the project for the conversion of much of the 20,000-sq ft space lying unused along the eastern side of the bridge near Kalaignar Arivalayam into a park featuring a walking track, an open-air gym and children's play zone, among others. The project work commenced in April that year. As part of the beautification plan, the retaining walls of the overbridge were also to be painted and the existing steel railings were to be replaced with new barricades for the safety of visitors to the park.
The stretch, with the incomplete walking paths and other partially completed facilities, seeing little progress for the past six months now has come under criticism from city residents and other quarters. Royal Raja, a social worker and district secretary of the Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK), said, "The project took off with the intention of preventing the misuse of public land. But the incomplete works have reduced the spot into an eyesore again. We were expecting a proper park with lights and exercise equipment. Instead, the half-done work has become a hangout for drunkards after dark. The civic body must allocate additional funds and complete it (park) soon."
Meanwhile, G Venkatesan of VN Nagar said, "Once completed, the park would cater to hundreds of walkers and families daily. The spot connects several residential areas and serves as a key entry point so a proper park here would not only encourage fitness and people gatherings but also prevent waste dumping and such misuse of the space. The civic body must prioritise the project before the completed structures deteriorate."
On the delay in project completion, a corporation source said, "Actually, the park's estimate came to around Rs 90 lakh. A lack of funds, however, reduced it to Rs 58.3 lakh. The amount is not sufficient to complete the park." When contacted, a corporation official told TNIE that the shortage of funds has kept works such as LED lighting at the roadside park pending. “We require some additional allocation. We will hence use funds and complete the park at the earliest."