The parks at Chithra Nagar, AGS Nagar and Subham Nagar, Pallavaram, have come as a boon to the residents.
These parks, created under Atal Mission For Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), were once dumping grounds.
There are efforts to have more such turnaround stories. In areas under the Municipality, efforts are being taken to identify Open Space Reservation (OSR) lands and turn them into parks.
Residents of these localities are extremely happy about having bid goodbye to the garbage, the stench and swarms of flies and mosquitoes.
G. Annie, a resident of Chitra Nagar, said, “ When I moved to Chitra Nagar in 2014, I was appalled at the fact that a dumping ground was found in the middle of a residential area.”
Today, the park is visited by people across age groups and from various walks of life.
R. Gopi, a resident of Zamin Pallavaram, says, “ I go for my morning and evening walk at the park. The park is clean and well-maintained.”
The interior, and exterior walls of the Chithra Nagar park have been painted with images of wild animals, birds, flowers and sports.
Besides play equipment, walkers’ benches and Light Emitting Dioxide (LED) lamps have been installed.
Also, indoor shuttle courts and musical fountains have come up near the space where the play equipment and walkways are found.
Separate rest-rooms for men and women, a reverse osmosis drinking water plant and a room for security personnel are among the facilities at the park.
The park is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.; and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The parks were constructed, and designed by T. Baskar a horticulturist, who has designed parks in areas coming under the jurisdiction of Tambaram and Pallavapuram Municipalities including Gandhi Par, and Muthurangam Park in Tambaram, and Shanthi Nagar Park, Muthuswamy Nagar Park, BBR Nagar Park, and Thiruvalluvar Nagar park in Chromepet and Pallavaram.
For the year 2016-17, works are on to create parks on OSR lands at a cost of rupees 2.64 crore at Periyar Nagar, Arul Murugan Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Kasi Visalakshipuram, Nethaji Nagar, and Saraswathy Colony, Chromepet and Pallavaram.
The facilities at the park will include a yoga auditorium, a pebble pathway, and a meshed walkway with a green canopy over it, Municipality officials said.
