Tiruchi residents, science enthusiasts seek early opening of STEM Park at Srirangam

The civic body will finish works and open the park by the end of March, says Mayor

Residents and science enthusiasts in the city have expressed concern over the delay in throwing open to public the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Park in Srirangam.

The park, located on the Panchakarai Road next to the Yatri Nivas on the banks of River Kollidam in Srirangam, was developed under the Smart Cities Mission at a cost of ₹ 15 crore in a three-acre land owned by the Tiruchi Corporation.

Named after Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman, the park was conceptualised to nurture scientific temper among children. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin formally inaugurated the park through video conferencing, a few months ago.

The park houses a mini planetarium, science exhibition hall, indoor and outdoor pavilions and an edutainment centre with cutting-edge technologies that would help students and science enthusiasts to get a practical experience on various scientific features.

N. Saravanan, a resident, expressed concern that the park was not thrown open to the public yet. Opening it soon would give an opportunity for lakhs of tourists from various places in the State, who visit the Srirangam temple, to also have an experience of the STEM park, he said.

Recently the civic body passed a resolution to fix the entry and user fee charges for children and adults. Accordingly, it was decided to collect an entry fee of ₹ 15 for children aged between 8 and 15 and ₹ 25 for people aged above 15 years. This fee would be utilised for the purpose of maintaining the equipment in the park.

Mayor M. Anbazhagan told The Hindu, the Corporation was carrying out a few minor pending works on the premises, particularly at the entrance. The civic body has finalised the tender for the operation and maintenance of the park. Since the entry fee was also fixed, the city administration would expedite the ongoing works and the park would be thrown open to the public by the end of this month, he added.