CHENNAI: Nine parks in T Nagar are to be included in the Smart City project, and would be restored and rejuvenated to their past glory with crores of money being pumped into the project. On the other hand, the corporation is either facing severe fund crunch or not taking responsibility for maintaining the other local parks. While the smart city parks would have a state-of-art facilities including Wi-Fi, a children’s play area and recharged ground water, other parks lack basic amenities like that of a hygienic walking path. This situation arises at a time when Chennai is losing its green cover, posing threat to biodiversity in these 500-odd public parks.

With garbage and alcohol bottles strewn around the premises, a park in Langs Garden road, Egmore stands as an eyesore for poor maintenance and official inaction. The sight of anti-social elements in the park is left unmonitored by corporation officials, leaving the general public in a spot. As miscreants occupy the park premises, we are not comfortable to visit it. Police have turned a blind eye to the presence of miscreants who use the park as a free bar, said a shop owner near the park.

Despite inclusion in the smart city project, the Panagal park of T Nagar remains ill maintained, due to the construction of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) station. However, residents cry foul over the poor maintenance as their vital source of entertainment is being deprived. “There is no comprehensive parking facility at the park. Besides that, essential amenities that describe a park including children’s play area are absent. “Panagal park should be on par with Natesan park, which has plenty of facilities”, said V.S. Jayaraman of T Nagar Resident Welfare Association. Attributing the delay to metro rail works, a corporation official said: “We would take up the rejuvenation of Panagal park after the completion of metro rail works.”