Gym for women, opened by Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, in bad shape

CHENNAI: A gym for women next to the corporation playground in Gopalapuram, inaugurated by M K Stalin in 2010 when he was deputy chief minister, has turned into a den of anti-social elements.
Built at a cost of 14 lakh, it was closed down due to lack of maintenance within two years and was never opened again. Now, says Ganesh, a boxing coach, it is used for gambling and to drink alcohol.
D Sivaraj, a former councillor, said the gym was used daily by more than 200 women who came to the playground for morning walks. "There was a gym for men. And we had got many requests for a ladies gym. However, in 2011 after the government changed, there was no maintenance. The equipment all got repaired and it was never opened again," he said.
The authorities had also planned a boxing ring, a basketball court and a cricket pitch.
"None of these was implemented and it was used as a parking lot for several years," he said.
On Sunday, after TOI made inquiries, Greater Chennaio Corporation officials began cleaning up the gym. M A Nandhini of the DMK, who is the councillor of ward 111 that includes the area where the gym is located, said she would use the councillor fund and the MLA fund for renovating the gym. "Many such playgrounds and gyms constructed during the previous DMK government are lying unused. We plan to renovate them all. We have already started work," she said, adding that a boxing ring will also be set up.
The corporation is set to renovate all playgrounds, gyms and parks under Singara Chennai 2.0. Anand, playground inspector, said that in Kodambakkam, Teynampet and Anna Nagar, major playground renovation will begin in a month. "We have been asked to inspect and identify playfields and gyms in bad condition."