CHENNAI: Under Singara Chennai 2.0, a new park is to be constructed near the Saidapet M Metro Station for which Health Minister Ma Subramanian laid the foundation stone on Tuesday.

As part of the project, several parks are being maintained and reconstructed and Rs 28 lakh has been allotted for the park in Saidapet.

Inaugurating two new ration shops, the health minister said that the Department of Food and Civil Supplies had commissioned a new ration shops in Saidapet and one on Velachery Main Road as pre-existing shops faced crowding and people had to wait for a long time.

"New ration shops have been build and are ready for the consumer use in LDG road and Velachery Main Road. Earlier, people had only one common shop ration shop for the residents of Chinnamalai Street , Venkatapuram and Anjaneyar Salai. The plan for establishing new ration shops for better management have been commissioned under the bill passed by Deputy Mayor," stated the minister.

At least Rs 14.50 lakh has been spent on the shop on LDG road and Rs 16 lakh on the one on Velachery Main Road. As many as 1,595 family card holders will be benefited from the ration shop set up on LDG road and 415 family card holders will be benefited from another shop set up on Velachery main road. A multi-purpose building was also inaugurated.

He added that the residents of the neighbourhood will no longer need to visit common ration shops and stand in long queues for their turns. The system has been improved and jute bags have been replaced with stainless steel boxes, for people to receive their monthly provisions, he said. Greater Chennai Corporation Mayor R Priya and City Commissioner J Radhakrishnan were also present at the event.