What a frontispiece is to a book, a playground is to TVS Colony in Anna Nagar Western Extension. Residents take pride in it. Until the pandemic, it played a functional role in their lives. Residents, especially seniors, would take the tiled pathway for their morning walks.
With the relaxation of lockdown restrictions, the playground has reopened. But these same residents are keeping off their stomping ground.
The fact that youngsters sans masks and social distancing are invading the playground doesn't do much for residents' confidence — this is particularly true of seniors like V. Rajagopal (69).
They prefer the footpath to the walkers' pathway.
“The aged can't do without their routine exercise. Playgrounds are safe space for this routine only if safety regulations in place,” says Rajagopal, who is also the president of Anna Nagar Western Extension Phase II Residents Welfare Association.
Spread over 5.33 acres, the space had been earmarked five decades ago for the creation of a playground for a cluster of neighbourhoods: TVS Colony, TVS Avenue, Officers' Colony and West End Colony in Mogappair.
Initially, TVS Colony and TVS Avenue were developed as residential localities for employees of the TVS Company. Over the years, the neighbourhood became diverse in terms of its population with government staff and pensioners also putting down roots there.
At present, there are around 500 families that are in areas that provide quick access to the playground.
Maintained by Greater Chennai Corporation, the playground has separate spaces for volleyball, basketball, football and badminton courts. It also have a well-used walkers' pathway, seating arrangements for visitors, water taps and a compound wall. It is a sore point for residents that the playground is not kept only during select hours of the day. Via three gates, visitors enjoy unhindered access to the playground through the day.
While such access did not cause much of an alarm before the pandemic, it does now when the facility has been reopened for the public. For the visitors include many people who are out there without masks and don't follow social distancing norms, point our residents.
Ironically, when the playground was reopened a week ago, GCC had spelt out strict regulations for visitors. No visitors would be allowed without face masks. Visitors had to use hand sanitizers before entering the playground. Besides, there would be visiting hours to be followed for visitors. In fact, the park has a few CCTV cameras to monitor people's movement.
It is a matter of regret for residents that these measures are not being followed or enforced.
“Steps will be taken soon to regulate visitors and ensure safety measures are followed,” says a Corporation official.
