Fate of park under Vellore Smart City project unclear

When it was proposed after the Corporation was included in the scheme, officials had planned to introduce battery operated cars, telescope house, watch tower, musical fountain and an artificial water fall at the base of the Sathuvachari hills on the national highway. They had also planned installing CCTV cameras at many spots within the proposed park, which would be controlled from the zonal office of the Corporation nearby. Officials had also drawn up the estimated cost for various amenities, including Rs 1.50 crore for the approach road and retaining wall, Rs 40 lakh for the telescope house and Rs 20 lakh for the watch tower.

But the officials ran into problems when they tried to repair the cup shaped tank which was punctured by the local public to release water following the death of a person few years ago.

When they climbed the hill, the Forest officials said the hills were under their jurisdiction and warned the civic body staff against trespassing. When asked how they were allowed to build the cup and saucer-shaped tank in the late seventies, Corporation officials admitted they did not know.

“It was allowed then. But now we have to get permission from the ForestDepartment for any further activity.”

Smarting after being told off by the Forest department, the Corporation officials pointed out that the check dam below the tank has a ring well dug by localpublic. “The Forest officials do not seem to mind that,” they said.

With the Smart City project now focusing on the new bus stand, beautification of Vellore Fort and reconstruction of the Nethaji market, officials said they did not know what happened to the park project planned two years ago.