With the underground Metro Rail station up and running, residents of Shenoy Nagar and surrounding areas have one question on their minds — “When will the Thiru Vi Ka park re-open?”
When the park — one of the icons of Shenoy Nagar — was closed down in 2011 to facilitate work on the Koyambedu-Shenoy Nagar-Nehru Park underground Metro Rail line, residents, which included walkers, were disappointed.
Many trees were uprooted to pave way for the construction of the line.
With the closure of the park, residents found themselves robbed of a space for daily walks, public meetings and leisure activities.
While some residents accustomed to having their daily walks at the park began to depend on roads, many others were drawn to the Shenoy Nagar Skating Park, located a few blocks from Thiru Vi. Ka. park.
With a huge segment of walkers flocking to the Skating park, the space became crammed, forcing many to discontinue walking. Poor maintenance of the park by Corporation officials has also left many with little choice.
Officials of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) had then promised speedy restoration and renovation of the park, including retaining its lush green cover.
The deadline for restoring the park was the first quarter of 2017. Not only has the deadline been missed, but there are also no signs of the restoration being completed in the near future.
According to a CMRL official, the park is likely to be restored by the end of the year. “We are still in the process of finalising the concept for the park. We plan to develop the park on par with international standards,” he says.
Walkers' paradise
For Sugi, a school teacher, Thiru Vi Ka park was a stone’s throw from her house. The neatly-laid platform was a boon for walkers. “I would go for my morning walk at the park before the break of dawn. Due to a profusion of trees, even during summer, walking was possible at any time of the day,” she recalls.
With the demolition of the park in 2011, regular walkers had to find an alternative space. “I continued my walks on the road, just outside the park. As the construction work commenced in the night and went on until the wee hours of the morning, dust and noise proved a deterrent to many walkers. Due to an allergic reaction triggered by dust, I had to discontinue walking.”
Cultural activities
K. John, headmaster of Thiru-Vi-Ka Higher Secondary School, recalls the days when his students turned the park into a space for group discussions. “The teachers would also accompany the students after school hours for any subject-related discussion. Some even went for walks and played in the space after a discussion,” he says.
The park served as a space for speakers, with Thiru Vi. Ka. Speakers Forum conducting their weekly sessions there. The Forum, which has chapters at various parks across the city, was started at Thiru Vi. Ka. park, in 2003. The free sessions on public speaking attracted many more visitors and walkers to the park.
“Inspired by the speakers, some walkers and visitors would volunteer to discuss their experiences, while others eagerly listened to the entire session,” says G. Subramanian, a member of the forum. “We miss having the sessions in the park. But, we will resume the sessions once it reopens,” he adds.
“We will miss the old park”
The CMRL officials have promised that the renovation work would be elaborate. However, as the park would be reduced to half its original size due to the Metro Rail station, many feel the new park would not have its old charm.
“The Corporation had spent a king's ransom in renovating the park just a few months before it was demolished. We were content with the work. But with the new look and amenities, I don't think the park will look the same again. Despite the additional features, we will miss our old Thiru Vi. Ka. park,” notes Jayalakshmi Krishnan, a longtime resident of Shenoy Nagar.
