Chennai
Once a favourite spot for morning walkers, an all-time green park on a roadside in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar has now been occupied by rag pickers to dry their clothes.
The park was constructed by the Corporation in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar’s Pallavan Salai, which is one of the busiest roads in North Chennai. Over the years, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar developed into a preferred residential area because of good connectivity and its proximity to Perambur railway station.
The park is considered to be visitor-friendly, as it has all basic facilities, including concrete paver blocks for walking, benches for people to rest, and it also housed quite a number of trees to add to the green cover. For a long time, residents frequented the park. However, all this has changed recently after rag pickers encroached the place, following which local residents has stopped visiting the park.
Residents rue over the fact that despite filing complaints to officials, they have not taken any steps so far to clean the park and make it accessible. Lawyer and activist Manjunathan from Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, told Dt Next that the park was a huge hit among the residents, primarily for its location, when it was inaugurated. “The park is located on the main road right next to a playground. It was an ideal place for people to walk in the morning, as it is located in a residential area. Gradually the place became a home for anti-socials,” alleged Manjunathan.
Another resident, Raghunanthan, also pointed out that people started using it for open defecation. “The Corporation officials cannot leave the park at this state as huge money was invested in constructing it,” added Raghunanthan.
When contacted, the Corporation Zonal official assured that the issue would be looked into.
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