Chennai: The Corporation Park at MRC Nagar, opposite to Hotel Leela Palace is grappling with civic issues. Located in Satyadev Avenue, people who use the park allege that it has become unusable due to a number of reasons.
Sridevi, a resident says, “The park is not maintained properly as the play equipment are damaged. Even people who go for a walk in the park cannot go freely as crow droppings are there all around the park. We are not able to use the benches here as the droppings are always there and there is no one to clean it.”
The park is also not well-lit and during dark people can’t access the full walking area. “There are many residential complexes nearby and people want the facility to be maintained well,” she adds.
Residents, however, point out that the problem not only lies within the park but also outside it. Tea stalls have been set up outside the park and it is always surrounded by people who smoke and park-users say that it is also one of the reasons why the place has become unusable.
“After dusk, women feel unsafe to enter the park as it is surrounded by men. The area is also not well it and due to lack of safety, many have started avoiding the park. I personally don’t want my child to play there,” says Sundar, who lives nearby.
He points out to a board placed by the Corporation which states that setting up stalls on this stretch is prohibited. “Despite this, two tea stalls continue to run and there is no one to ask them to vacate the place,” he adds.
Autos, Taxis and mini lorries are also parked outside the entrances of the park. “While the illegal parking of vehicles is a problem. People who own the tea stall also use the pathway close to the park on their own to keep their things and dump the garbage. There are also broken electric boxes at the vicinity. Steps must be taken to clear this and make the place neat so that more people come forward to use the public space,” says Manikandan, another resident.