Until a few years ago, 67-year-old S. Ramesh, a resident of J.J. Nagar in Anna Nagar, would take his grandson to the Corporation park on Pari Road in J. Jayalalithaa (J.J) Nagar. His neighbour, K. Madhanagopal, would join him for the morning walk. Some others went there to do yoga. These days, the residents prefer going to the park at Anna Nagar roundtana, which is nearly five kilometres from the park on Pari Road, which is in a shambles.
Spread over nearly 7,000 sq. ft., Pari Road park has a tiled walkway, play equipment, benches and steel fencing. However, due to non-maintenance, the facilities are now covered with bushes and the play equipment are rusted. The Corporation did not maintain the park at regular intervals, say residents, citing it as a reason for poor state of the park. “The park is the lone green space in the neighbourhood at East Mogappiar,” said V. Ramani, a resident of J.J. Nagar.
The walkway has been broken at many places. Moreover, a portion of the space inside the park has been taken over to build sewage treatment plant. So, as part of its construction, earth has been dug up and heaps of soil has been dumped at the entrance of the park. Of late, passers-by have turned the park into an open toilet that has turned the public facility into an eyesore.
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During night, drunkards and miscreants resort to the park and create nuisance. “Children are not allowed to walk on the footpath in front of the park as snakes are found there. Instead, we let children play on the road under the supervision of elders,” says N. Mangalam, another resident. Repeated complaints to the Corporation officials and councillors of the local body have not yielded results, residents say.
“Soon, a team from the Zonal Office will inspect the park and give it a facelift,” said a Corporation official.