Squabbles are common at Jai Nagar Park in Arumbakkam. Kids fight for their turn as the play equipments are always occupied. Sometimes, they manage to get only a couple of minutes on a ride before they are asked to vacate and when they don’t, all hell breaks loose.
During summer vacation, it only gets worse. As soon as the gates at Jai Nagar Park are flung open in the evening , children rush in, to enjoy their favourite rides. The swings, slides, see-saws and merry-go-rounds are occupied in no time. Those who come late have to wait for their turn. The Jai Nagar Park is the only one that is available for residents of Arumbakkam. It is always crowded as it has to accommodate people coming from Jaganatha Nagar, NSK Nagar and sometimes even from MMDA Colony.
The park is well-maintained with all the necessary facilities.
Residents have waited for several years to have a park in the locality but it doesn’t seem to be enough. From senior citizens to children, everybody comes to this park, which is always short of space. Since the park is close to the CMBT bus terminus, it also attracts commuters.
Sangeetha K., a resident of Jai Nagar says, “I come here with my friends to relax and sometimes we don’t even find a place to sit. It is always crowded especially in the weekends. There is a temple right next to the park, so the entire stretch gets crowded and noisy.”
People depend on a park to have some leisure time but a crowded park defeats the purpose. Children are forced to wait in lines for their turn to play. Residents want more such facilities in the area. . “An additional park is essential,” they say.
