The V.O. Chidambaranar Park and the Children’s Park here will soon be revamped at a total cost of ₹ 6.42 crore. The Corporation said that work order has been issued to a private company for carrying out the works, which is expected to be completed in six months.
The V.O.C. Park was established in 1920’s on a sprawling 25 acre and boasted of a garden, fountains, mini-zoo, toy train, and walkways. Hundreds of people thronged the park during weekdays and the numbers could be over 1,000 during weekends and festival season.
However, due to poor maintenance, the park has lost its glory. While the animals were shifted to zoos in other districts, the toy train service was suspended and the fountains turned non-functional. But people still visit the park as it the only recreational facility in the city.
Meanwhile, the damaged play materials in the Children’s Park, located opposite V.O.C. Park, were not replaced and poor maintenance kept visitors away from the park. Both these parks turned out to be a haven for anti-social elements even during the day time as the public wanted development works to be carried out. Under the Smart Cities Mission, the City Municipal Corporation has proposed to carry-out development works for redesigning the layouts, and setting up fountains, footpath, lighting facilities and other works. The Corporation, which had issued work order to a private company for carrying out the works, closed both the parks without any intimation to public this week. The sudden closure of the parks has upset the people who wanted the works started after the summer vacation. They blamed the civic body for poor planning as public were left with no parks during summer.