For a week now, walkers at Mangal Eri park, also known as Arignar Anna Park, on the Vellar Street in Mogappair West face a hurdle during their morning walk. They are forced to navigate heaps of sand before walking down the damaged narrow tiled pathway, which is now flanked by two short walls with plans between them, on either side.
In addition to this, the existing tiled walkers’ pathway is being replaced with a granite footpath. Residents want the Zone 7 (Ambattur) of Greater Chennai Corporation to widen the existing walkers’ pathway instead of narrowing it by setting up these walls on either side of it.
Residents said the concrete medians pose a risk as children and senior citizens can injure themselves while walking or jogging along this pathway. At present, the walker’s path is around 4.5-feet wide and 520-metres long on the 5.32-acre park.
“The existing tiled-walker’s pathway is in good shape. The renovation work at the park by the civic officials is clearly a waste of taxpayers’ money,” said M. K. Radha Krishnan, vice chairman, Mangal Eri Park Walker’s Association.
On an average, more than 2,000 people — mainly walkers from Mogappair West, Reddipalayam nagar, Mogappair East, J.J Nagar, Nolambur, Maduravoyal, Collector Nagar and Tirumangalam — visit the park which is one of the biggest public spaces in the neighbourhood.
In 2009, the lake was renovated at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh by the then-Ambattur Municipality (before it was merged with the Greater Chennai Corporation) and the improvements included a tiled-walker’s path, a compound wall, toilets and strengthening of the bund around the pond and fitting of lights.
Under the new ‘Model’ park renovation plan, carried out at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore under general funds, Corporation officials said that the existing tiled- walkers’ path would be replaced with granite footpath.
Concrete walls at a height of 1.5 feet with space for saplings between will also be built on either side of the walkers’ path.
Further, the pond in the park will be de-silted to a depth of around three metres and steel railings will be provided around it. A yoga and meditation centre, a children’s play area, a pebbled pathway and a clock tower are among other features to be added to the park.
Efforts will also be taken to discharge excess rainwater from the neighbourhood into the pond. The entire project was approved by the Regional Deputy Commissioner (RDC), Central Region, Chennai Corporation, and was being executed by Superintendent Engineer (SC), Parks Division, Central Region of the civic body.
“In the initial phase, around 20 feet on the existing tiled walker’s path will be replaced with a granite pathway and two walls will be built on either side of it. Subsequently, the granite pathway will be extended to other areas in the park. “We know there is objection to the new project. However, we have to execute the project as it was approved by our higher-ups at Ripon Buildings,” said a Corporation official.
However, residents and visitors were against the project, saying that the project was started without any prior consultations with all the stakeholders, including residents, welfare associations in the neighbourhood and visitors to the park.
