Madurai
Till a couple of years back, the park at Shenbaga Thottam near Anna Nagar was in a shambles, recalls C. Suresh, a resident of Shenbaga Thottam’s ‘H’ Block. “There was a wild growth of thorny shrubs all along the park. The play equipment for children was broken and it was littered with plastic bags and household waste. The park was a haven for anti-social elements,” he says.
But, today the park has transformed into an attractive open space for the residents. Thanks to Madurai Corporation, which undertook the renovation of the park under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme in 2016-2017. The makeover was undertaken at a cost of ₹52 lakh.
Today, the park is frequented by residents of all age groups, who can be seen walking or jogging in the evenings and mornings. It has become the recreational spot for children, who throng the park during holidays.
G.Ganesan, a senior citizen from Tahsildar Nagar who frequents the park for his walk, says that the park is a boon for people like him who enjoys peaceful evening walks. “Earlier, due to heavy vehicular movement on streets, it was dangerous for pedestrians to walk along the streets,” he says.
The park has smooth paver block pathways, lawns and a separate play area for children. It also has a sufficient number of benches across the park.
The park is also a major utility for residents of Gomathipuram, Tahsildar Nagar, Shenbaga Thottam and Melamadai, says A. Fatima, a resident of Gomathipuram.
“For the residents of these areas, this is the functional park in the vicinity. To avoid traffic congestion,we prefer this park over Walker's Park at K.K. Nagar along Vandiyur tank,” she says.
However, the maintenance of the park is deteriorating in the last three months, complains Mr. Suresh.
“Only one out of the two watchmen is working at the park for the last few months and this has led to poor upkeep of the park. A few plants and flowers have started withering,” he says.
Toilets that are available at the park always remain locked, complains Ms. Fatima. “It will be highly useful for the diabetic if the toilets are open. Also, drinking water must be regularly supplied at the park,” she says.
S. Prabhakaran, who frequents the park, says that steps need to be taken to ensure that proper upkeep of the park is undertaken.
