A worn out slide with an uneven surface at the Bharathidasan Nagar park in K K Nagar. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
Public parks play a key role in recreation and health of citizens. For children growing up in fast developing, concretised urbanscapes, time spent in parks is their only respite from walls — in their houses and schools and tuitions. It is a good thing for citizens, therefore, that renovation of parks gets a mention in almost all annual budgets of the Chennai Corporation.
However, a visit to some of the public parks in the city will break your heart. On the ground, these parks are anything but child friendly, with most of the play equipment and accessories to engage children ill-maintained and even badly damaged in most places.
Citizen Matters visited some of these parks and here is what it found as far as physical infrastructure is concerned:
A damaged seesaw at a public park in Turnbulls Road, Nandanam. Pic: Prashanth GouthamKids’ box grid climbing frame is rusted and a few joints have broken due to which sharp edges are protruding dangerously. Pic: Prashanth GouthamBroken pavement at a park in Bharatidasan Nagar in K K Nagar. Though the corporation has taken up the renovation work, locals say that it has been progressing at a very slow place. Pic: Laasya ShekharThe broken, dangerous surface of the slide at the Bharathidasan Nagar park in K K Nagar. Pic: Laasya ShekharThis slide at the K K Nagar park has been in this broken state for more than two months now. Pic: Laasya ShekharAnother broken slide at the Panchayat-maintained park in Madambakkam is filled with debris and is in a pathetic condition. Pic: Laasya ShekharThe seesaw that was! Now, it’s just the presence of the base steel rod at Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani Nagar park. Pic: Prashanth GouthamKids at the Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani nagar park are seen putting away an iron rod that was dangerously jutting out near the seesaw. A child was recently hurt while playing on the seesaw. Pic: Prashanth GouthamHanging empty: Broken and abandoned swings are not replaced at the Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani nagar park. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
There are evident reasons behind the failure of vertical garden projects in the city undertaken by government departments earlier. How can GCC avoid the same mistakes?
Over 60 families were moved to Kannappar Thidal in 2002 with the promise of housing tenements. Twenty years on, they are in the very same spot, only worse off.
Imagine a walk on the Kotturpuram bridge on any morning or evening – a glance below provides a picturesque sight: people shouting in happiness, their row boats on the tranquil waters of Adyar River, free
1 Comment
The playing items are used by children of ages till 10 / 12. Many a times I have seen hefty teens also walking up the slide in the opposite direction which leads to the fibre material to break.Not just the corporation, Children and their parents are equally responsible. Watchmen should also warn such children.
The playing items are used by children of ages till 10 / 12. Many a times I have seen hefty teens also walking up the slide in the opposite direction which leads to the fibre material to break.Not just the corporation, Children and their parents are equally responsible. Watchmen should also warn such children.