MRTS underspace on Sivananda Salai to get green makeover

Chennai: A 1.5 km stretch, ill-maintained and abandoned, beneath MRTS tracks from Sivananda Salai to Wallajah Road will soon get rid of debris, scrap, and garbage, and turn into a lush green park.
Similar to the restoration done beneath the tracks between Kasturba Nagar and Indira Nagar MRTS stations on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), the GCC will create a park with a sitting area, badminton court, toilets, and water fountains at intervals of every 20 metres. The civic body has already floated tenders worth 4.7 crore to carry out the project.

"It will begin by May. The MRTS underspaces are at least 25 feet wide and can be put to use. Because of their dingy nature, the stations are uninviting too. On OMR, we also allowed private cafes to operate with a royalty for GCC. Similar efforts will be taken here," said deputy mayor Mahesh Kumar, adding that the model in OMR is successful. "People stop here for coffee or snacks. They also visit the park," he said.
GCC will also set up park rides such as merry-go-rounds, see-saws, and slides. On the same stretch, from Sivananda Salai to MLA quarters, a roadside park was already set up a decade ago. Now, only a dilapidated name board of the park exists. All the grass is gone due to poor maintenance, the fountains are damaged, and debris is dumped inside them. Metal scrap is also dumped there, while miscreants use the space for anti-social activities.
The stretch immediately next to the MLA quarters is in the same condition, despite being a high-profile area. Near Wallajah Road, the stretch beneath MRTS tracks is used as horse stables. GCC plans to reclaim this stretch and also relay the road connecting MLA quarters with Wallajah Road, where the Chennai Press Club is also set up.
R Ramesh, a civic activist from North Chennai, said maintenance is key in such projects. "They spend crores to set up infrastructure but don't bother about upkeep. Several parks in the city are in a ramshackle state. With Sivananda Salai announced as a new protest site, GCC must ensure the park is not vandalised," added Ramesh.