With the footfall at Semmozhi Poonga on the rise, the botanical garden on Cathedral Road is all set to receive new features to make it more attractive.
The Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency, which is affiliated to the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, will attend to many aspects of this exercise.
In the first phase, the floor tiles and sanitary wares at the wash rooms will be replaced. Already, reconstruction of compound walls damaged in Vardah is under way. The damaged benches will be replaced and additional ones provided. The fountains have been repaired and work on the plumbing system is in progress.
“The facility is undergoing its first renovation since its inauguration in November 2010. A fund of Rs.8 lakh has been allocated for the first phase of the project. Cost estimation is being carried out for the second phase,” says a senior horticulture official.
The second phase of the renovation project involves construction of a dressing room.
“On an average, every month, four to five film shoots take place at the garden. During weekdays, two photo shoots take place every day and, on weekends, it is four every day. So, we decided a dedicated room for changing dress should be created,” the horticulture official adds.
It has been a month since the Department revised its permit fee for shooting of feature films. The fee has gone up to Rs. 25,000, from Rs. 20,000 per day.
For shooting of soap operas, the fee has been hiked from Rs.10,000 to Rs.12,000 per day.
Other features of the second phase include refurbishment of the butterfly park and the children's play area and planting of exotic shrubs and trees in the area dedicated for bonsai.
“The botanical garden registered a net profit of Rs. 48.51 lakh for the financial year 2016-2017, which is a impressive figure when compared to Rs. 28.54 lakh for the year 2015-2016," adds the official.
