Will Chetpet park meet March deadline?

The Chetpet Lake, which is in the process of being converted into an eco-park and a fishing destination, was set to open in March this year. However, with still a major portion of construction work unfinished, will this 42-crore restoration project meet the deadline? 

The proposed restoration into an eco-park, with a cycling/ jogging track, food court, angling and boating facilities, was announced in 2013. While more than 70% of the work on the eco-park has been completed, many are sceptical if the leisure destination will actually throw its doors open to the public by March this year. A Corporation of Chennai official said, “We were asked to install flood drains. In case of excess rains, we had to ensure that the problem of flooding is contained. 

Our portion of the work has been completed but there’s still some work to be done, which may take another three months or so.” On inspection, the pathways as well as the pavements for walking/ jogging have not been completed. The sport fishing area is under construction now. 

However, a top ranking official from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (TNFDC), is confident that they will meet the March deadline. “The work is on in full swing and we believe that it will be completed by the end of February. 

Regarding the opening of the park, it is the government’s decision. We think that this ecopark will be open within the time specified,” said the official. The Chetpet lake, an important water-body, had overtime turned into a garbage dump, with rampant encroachment. 

An official from the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB), which is also involved in this project, said that they are still in the process of taking down the names of the slum dwellers near the lake, who will later be provided with houses under TNEB.

Many fear that even if the eco-park does open as per the deadline, maintaining the premises would pose a huge challenge. M.G. Devasagayam said that lack of maintenance will spell doom for this eco-park. “The officials should ensure that visitors to the eco-park don’t throw garbage,” he added. Refuting these worries, N Chandra, General Manager of Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (TNFDC), stressed that the eco-park will be well maintained. “We have ruled out chances of environmental hazard. We have also strengthened the bunk, fenced and deepened the lake. The floating vegetation will be removed and the desilting will be taken up as per requirement. There will be round the clock work force to ensure that the eco-park is well maintained,” said the official.

While residents are thrilled to have a leisure destination in their backyard, environmentalists fear that the real purpose of restoring the lake has been lost in the process. Turning the lake into an eco-park may not necessarily revive the water-body, environmentalists pointed out. TR Shashwath, environmentalist and historian, said that the plans to turn the Chetpet lake into an eco-park, will further reduce the size of the lake. 

“Most of our restoration efforts are towards beautification. I have looked at the plans for the eco-park and I feel they are superficial. By building a cycling/jogging track, you are further shrinking the size of the lake. The first evidence of the Chetpet lake was in a map called ‘Map of the Jaghir lands’ drawn in 1794. Back then, it was a vast water-body called the Spur Tank, fed by many smaller streams, including one from the Cooum. The Chetpet lake then drained into the Cooum.

Now, the Chetpet lake has no water source feeding it. The water that is already there in the lake will turn putrid and stagnant. I think any beautification should be secondary and ecological restoration towards the lake’s primary purpose should be top priority,” he explained. 

Echoing a similar sentiment, environmentalist Arun Krishnamurthy said that water-bodies should not be commercialised. Arun, who has been regularly cleaning up lakes across the city, added, “This commercialisation of water-bodies is worrying and such mechanism is sure to threaten the environment.”