Chennai Corporation to spruce up 150 parks, playgrounds ahead of summer vacation

The Greater Chennai Corporation is set to prepare 150 parks and playgrounds for children this summer

The Greater Chennai Corporation is set to prepare 150 parks and playgrounds for children this summer. 

Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi has directed all regional deputy commissioners and zonal officers to ensure that additional benches and children’s play stations are installed at the earliest in 150 parks selected in various parts of the city.

The zonal officers have been directed to plant 100 native trees of more than 10 feet height procured from Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh in each of the 150 parks, to improve greenery. The officials in each zone will submit a list of 10 parks and playgrounds for a makeover this week.

The civic body will paint the entrance gate, benches, walkways, sideways, and colour wash trees, painting the walls green yellow. “Officials will improve the parks so that the common public visit in large numbers for fresh air. We have improved greenery along the Marina beach where the footfalls are expected to increase in summer,” said an official.

Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister K.N. Nehru said the creation of new parks on vacant open space reservation land has been taken up and open air gym equipment are being installed in some of the parks under development. All the newly developed parks have been designed for the differently abled. The new parks will have minimal use of concrete and plentiful greenery so that they act as sponge parks in the rainy season, he said.

Former councillor P.V. Tamilselvan said residents had demanded the Corporation to develop playgrounds and parks as OSR land have been identified in the area. The Corporation has developed recreation spaces in areas such as Mint and in Murasoli Maran Park near Perambur flyover.