Despite spanning 22 acres, the Madhavaram Horticultural Park is difficult to spot from the road — owing to the construction of a Metro Rail station here, its main gate is blocked and part of the compound wall has been knocked down, with no signage visible.
Touted as one of the largest green spaces in north Chennai, the park, opened in 2018, is a welcome respite in this busy locality, but its maintenance leaves much to be desired. While the section next to the entrance is well kept and lush green, further in is a different story: dustbins are overflowing, plastic bottles litter the grass everywhere, and several of the plant beds are neglected.
Needs a clean-up
The 2.5-acre freshwater pond, where coracle and pedal boat rides brought cheer to residents, is in urgent need of a clean-up. Its banks are messy with overgrown vegetation, the water in the fountain is dirty, one of the children’s play areas is dysfunctional with a broken seesaw and missing swings, and the pathway for walkers is in poor shape. “It has become somewhat dirty now because the dustbins are not being emptied regularly,” said a resident of Vyasarpadi, who had come to the park with a friend.
Set up at a cost of ₹5.97 crore, the park, run by the Tamil Nadu Department of Horticulture, is the second such botanical garden in the city, the first being Semmozhi Poonga on Cathedral Road, and is divided into sections for fruit, ornamental and medicinal plants, among others. However, there is next to no signage in the park for various locations, no information boards about the nearly 700 species of ornamental and medicinal plants it is home to and many of the promised amenities, including a maze, artificial water cascade, and aviary, have either not materialised or are not within sight.
A resident of New Gummidipoondi, who had come to the park for the first time, said it was a lovely space, but its upkeep could be better. Last year, while presenting the Agriculture Budget, Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam announced a beautification project for the park — it was to be expanded, and a musical dancing fountain added at a cost of ₹5 crore. Park personnel said that however, no money has come in as yet.
Inadequate funds
The park receives approximately 1,000 adults and 500 children on weekend days, but the number could go up if the entrance was not obscured, a staff member said. “We are not able to maintain the park adequately without funds. We do not have enough ground staff needed to do the work necessary on a park of this size — for instance, we need a security guard to ensure adults/older children do not use the play equipment meant for young children,” a staff member pointed out.
