Chennai: Nehru park in crying need of attention

Chennai: After the underground metro station at Nehru Park and Thiru Vi Ka Park were completed in May 2017, the actual park required renovation. Authorities lack efficiency, say the public who depend on the park for exercise. The Chennai Metro Rail took up the project of renovating the park, but users complain that it has been very slow, inconveniencing them.

Most walkers using Nehru Park have to resort to paying and entering the Chetpet Eco Park for their regular walks. "I have been walking there for over 10 years. Nehru Park, after it closed its gates in 2010, I first gave up walking but now have started going to Chetpet Park daily It, however, costs a lot of money to do so," says Srinivasan, a retired sexagenarian living in Egmore.

CMRL promised to have the park up and running by March 2018, but seven months later, there is no sign of reopening. Originally spread over 7,250 square metres, the park was reduced to 7,000 square metres when Chennai Metro Rail used a portion of the park for the construction of a metro station in 2011. About 65 trees were felled to felicitate construction of the metro station and its parking lot.

CMRL officials, however, say the delay is due to an increasing number of new facilities.