Over 200 trees, within eight acres of land. The green cover of Panagal Park, T Nagar has been a part of Chennai for 96 years. No wonder, then, that residents are getting more and more vocal about the possibility that the park will have to make way for a Metrorail station instead.
Originally, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) had planned to take over two parks in T Nagar — Natesan and Panagal — as part of its Phase II plans. Earlier this week, however, CMRL announced a change, saying that the stations would be built underground instead. But Friends of Panagal Park — a collective of people including residents, wildlife enthusiasts and the Panagal Park association — is still wary.
Shobha Menon, environmentalist, founder of Nizhal and a part of Friends of Panagal Park, explains her concerns by citing the example of Thiru Vi Ka Park. For context, the park is today the site of Shenoy Nagar metro station. It lost about 130 of its 300 trees for the metro project, and though CMRL spoke of planting 1,300 saplings and 20 trees, the green cover in the area remains heavily reduced.
"Green spaces belong to everybody," reiterates Menon, adding, "We are not against development. We just want the vital green spaces protected. We are only saying, where are the public consultations? Most of the people who frequent the parks weren't even aware of this plan." Menon points out that no number of small new trees can replace the ecological services that an old tree provides. This is one of the major concerns for environmental enthusiasts.
Chennai, Tamilnadu, 20/06/2018: Yoga teacher Chandrasekaran teaching yoga poses at Panagal park in Chennai. Photo : S. R. Raghunathan
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According to M Yuvan, another member of Friends of Panagal Park, some of the trees there outdate the park itself, and are well over 100 years old. Nizhal teamed up with students of RKM Boys Higher Secondary School and private engineering firm TEEMS India Towerlines, to conduct a tree mapping survey of the park. According to the survey, Panagal Park is home to 218 trees, including gulmohar, neem, peepal, almond, big leaf mahogany, mast trees, West Indian elms and more.
An online petition launched by Friends of Panagal Park on Monday afternoon, had received over 1,000 signatures by 8 am on Tuesday. Addressed to the director of CMRL - Chennai, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and railway authorities," the petition gives a brief overview of the trees present in the park and requests CMRL to "consider alternate land areas where it can continue its work".
Friends of Panagal Park is also organising a gathering of those emotionally invested in the park, to discuss the issue on Sunday. Says Menon, "When we spoke with people who use the park, many were in tears," adding, “The public also want details of where the locations of trees planted by CMRL are, and dates of the planting.”
Friends of Panagal Park will be meeting at the park at 6.30 am on Sunday.
