It is clear there is no careful assessment of what the city needs in terms of public spaces. The Corporation is so limited in its vision that all it can think of is the beach. It may defend its decision by citing the example of the additional parks it has created. But numbers expose their limited extent.
Chennai Corporation is like a horse wearing heavy blinkers on a paralysed head. How else can one understand its obsessive attention on one urban space — Marina beach — when the city is starved for more public places. Last week, for the umpteenth time, Corporation decided to beautify Marina and sanctioned Rs. 5 crore.
Let me illustrate the repetitive expenditure on the beach before highlighting what it denies. A major overhauling of the Marina commenced in 1965. Trees were planted, roads were paved, and lawns were created. As a reader of The Hindu pointed out in his letter to the Editor in 1967, even a ‘lovers’ path’ was developed with trees and plants. When this beautification project was on, the government changed. In 1967, when Annadurai was the Chief Minister, the new government mooted proposals to develop Marina to resemble the ancient city of Poompuhar. After his death in 1970, authorities built his memorial on the beach and the area around it was developed. Another beautification scheme was implemented in 1973 at a cost of Rs. 1.6 crore.
Marina beach front development was again taken up in 1983 and the beautification went overboard in 1985. When they evicted fishermen, violent protests followed and many died in the police firing. This however did not stop Marina projects. In 1992, 1993 and 1994 the beach was redone — plants were replanted, pavements were redone, lights were changed, and seats replaced. Madras vision 2000, with an outlay of Rs. 4,000 crore, wanted to substantially redevelop the beach.
After a few years, in 2007, the government once again spent Rs. 25 crore on the Marina. The landscape was altered once more. Hardly three years after the completion of the project, the Corporation announced yet another beautification project. Compare this with a promise made in 1975. The government, through the first master plan, assured that Chennai would get about 1,450 hectares of open spaces by 1995. Even by 2006, it could add only about 360 hectares. In 2008, the government promised open space and recreation areas would be increased to 1,000 hectares by 2026.
It is clear there is no careful and committed assessment of what the city needs in terms of public spaces. The Corporation is so limited in its vision that all it can think of is the beach. It may defend its decision by citing the example of the additional parks it has created. But numbers expose their limited extent. More importantly, parks are not the only kind of urban space the city needs.
Richard Sennett , a well known urban sociologist, through his book The Fall of Public Man, three decades ago, convincingly demonstrated that depletion of urban spaces would erode public life. Planning for both private and public spheres is critical. But Chennai Corporation does not seem to think so. It probably deceives itself into believing that shopping malls are the new urban spaces.
Without lake fronts, cultural arenas, spaces for Sunday markets, large swathe of green areas, or even wild marshlands, Chennai will not be a vibrant city. Spaces for collective gardening and urban farming are not far beyond its urban future. Chennaiites do not want to live in a shopping centre when they are not strolling on the beach. Would the Corporation take note?
Keywords: Marina beach, beach front development, urban jungle column, urban farming, Chennai public spaces
I have to say I read the title and so many thoughts ran into my mind and you have written it!
If only elected officials have any sense of belonging to their electorate, they will listen. Screw Marina and get to zillion other places in old and newly merged chennai!
A article well written and concise, but who on earth from the
corporation side will read this and react, forget about VISION!! they
have only MISSION that to loot in the name of contracts. Go to any
parks and the see the standard of seatings and the pavements done?
will any of us dare to do the same in our own houses such shabily ?
but again like me I crib for that moment with others and do nothing to
follow on that and guess many are like me, Until me and my like minded
people change this will go on for centuries Wait forgot to say a
JAIHIND !!
as an architect i can assure you that the proposed landscape design
(image above) doesnt look the lest bit exciting. Even 1st yr students
can do better.
Sir,
You have rightly pointed out what we need-- a place to breath.
There are so many overbridges, in none of them there are sidewalks.
Climbing up the steep will help many calorie conscious people.
Hindu does it again. A thought provoking article- policy makers must
read this. We have been hearing so many schemes to beautify Coovam and
chennai but I cannot see an iota of progress made to restore city's
ancient look. What happened to Saibaba's donation to purify Coovam when
MK was cheie minister?
Very meaningful article. I live here in the US and I whenever I visit Chennai I used to think
why couldn't those private builders invest in creating parks rather than focussing on raising
tall apartment complexes? They can make even more money if they make it a ticketed entry
if money is their motive! I bet people will not mind paying for those parks as there is
none for any outdoor activity. How about creating some shows, muscial fountains, infant play
area, kids play area swimming pools!
There are ample of opportunity for CoC to create public space. They could well plan to create many Senthamil Poonga in suburbs. They can even construct multi-story sports complex with a big park. There are innovative ways to make use of the space but, it is the will decides.
I am in China working as IT engineer, as you know 2 decades ago, China
per capita 3 times less than India. But now they are 3 times higher
than us. what i notice here is that the city administration gets
government spend visit for foreign country and learn how foreign
country deal with urban management and development. Unfortunately in
our country , so called PWD and other departments just narrow minded
and didn't do anything in this regard. May be HIndu can point this out
to public and government departments through well written articles
Hear hear. A stunning article at long last to my city that absolutely requires these public spaces. Hats off to Prakash Srivatsan who echoed thoughts of the silent majority. The development of all the shopping houses points to blatant commercialization, and the impact felt would be on the younger generation. Without open spaces, all hail childhood obesity and juvenile diseases hitertho unheard of,before due to the time spent outside the house sweating the summer out playing games.
Can't agree more on this! Chennaites need more green areas and currently
it has nothing compared to Bangalore.
Unfortuantel we have unqualified people haeding the Govt departments. None of the ministers have any knowledge of city planning, long term objectives, city infrastructure development, city baeutification and no civic sense. Most of the ministers are intersted in making money for themselves and interested in looting the common man's money. The TN Govt would have spent more than Rs 10,000 crores in the last 4 decades and what is the sccountability of that, none. Let the Govt put the white paper on their spending and expplain to the common regarding the money thst's being spent on various projects. We should hold these ministers responsible for reckless spending.
Absolutely agree with Hindu's sentiments and plea. A good place to start would be
around the Cooum river and develop it like the Thames or Seine.
Very well written article, Make us to understand more about our governance and there member's short term approach for such a long term (1965 to Till date and still counting.... )
Give back the vast open space at the MRC Nagar estuary banks where I used to play cricket as if it were the Lords or the MCC. The spectacular sight of 1000s of young boys and middle aged men marking their pitches, defining their boundaries and playing spirited cricket all through summer and beyond is still in my eyes and memories.
We knew where to sweat it out when home and school overdoses creep up, but now? There aren't even enough space on private roads and dead-end streets to wield our bats and ball as they are all full of parked vehicles leaving even a foot each side for pedestrians. I am so sorry for the next generation of youngsters who have no option but to stick to their PS3s and XBoxes and virtually get no opportunity to go out in the sun and get a tan.
Excellent advisory article by The Hindu. My friend and myself wanted to study together and from Thirumangalam to Chromepet we could find only Anna Tower park. It was good - but we wished there were such parks in every locality.
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