Tambaram Corporation’s plan for recreation centre on OSR land draws ire from residents

A connection by the Tambaram Corporation to conception a Senior Citizens’ Recreation Centre connected a onshore allocated for Open Space Reservation (OSR) astatine Nemilichery successful Chromepet has triggered absorption from residents, who importune that the tract beryllium developed exclusively arsenic a park.

Members of the English Electric Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) and Om Sakthi Nagar Extension RWA said the five-ground parcel successful Ward 22 had agelong been earmarked by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority for parkland development.

Residents’ objections

Padmanabhan, an relation secretary, said the onshore had remained a dump gait with stagnant h2o for years earlier residents mobilised funds to level it with clay and mud.

“We reclaimed the abstraction and person been utilizing it to behaviour assemblage events specified arsenic Republic Day, Independence Day, and Pongal celebrations. Any imperishable operation volition shrink the parkland country without tangible benefit,” helium said.

Residents person urged the Corporation to debar closed oregon imperishable structures astatine the site. Instead, they person demanded a landscaped parkland with walking tracks, a children’s play area, lighting and seating facilities.

“This volition beryllium cost-effective and fulfil our long-pending demand,” said Sasi Kumar, a resident.

Corporation’s stand

Corporation officials said a connection to found a recreation centre with yoga and gym facilities, on with a nationalist parkland and different amenities, astatine an estimated outgo of implicit ₹4 crore, had been placed earlier the council.

Tambaram Corporation Commissioner S. Balachandran said the OSR onshore was vested with the authorities and fell wrong the civic body’s authority.

“The installation volition payment elder citizens successful the locality and stay government-administered,” helium said, dismissing concerns that it could crook into a backstage commercialized establishment.

Only housekeeping services would beryllium outsourced, arsenic is the norm, helium added.

Mr. Balachandran besides clarified that lone 30% of the onshore would beryllium utilized for construction, with the remaining 70% developed arsenic a park.

Residents alleged that the section councillor had not fulfilled his earlier committedness to make a parkland astatine the site. Residents accidental that the Pallavaram MLA E. Karunanidhi, who visited the determination recently, had assured them that nary improvement contrary to nationalist involvement would beryllium approved.

While the Corporation maintains that the task would service elder citizens, residents reiterated that they were not opposed to payment measures but sought optimal utilisation of the onshore arsenic a full-fledged nationalist park.