For a population of a little over a million, the ‘Temple City’ has 26 public parks. The most attractive ones among them are Rajaji Park, situated close to Tamukkum Grounds, and Eco Park adjacent to Anna Maaligai, the seat of Corporation of Madurai.
Are the 26 parks enough for the citizens? Do we need more public parks or it is enough to maintain existing parks well? What are the facilities available for the visiting public? Is there any scope for improving the upkeep of these parks by roping in corporate houses? To what extent the officials have popularised Swachch Bharat Mission?
With these few questions, The Hindu team visited a few parks in the city and interacted with public.
Visitors to Rajaji Park, the most preferred destination by public, responded that the upkeep could be better in very many aspects.
When the officials charged Rs. 10 per head for adults and Rs. 5 for children, they can give more facilities. If they feel so, the entry fee could be increased and more facilities provided. “Since we don’t have anything better, we are forced to come here for an outing,” T. Rajan, a father of two children, working for a private firm in the city and living in Tahsildar Nagar, said. “I come here every Sunday with my kids. We spend a minimum of two hours. Little more entertainment can be examined. Safety aspect too has to be given a thought,” he noted.
As the crowd is heavy on weekends and public holidays, many prefer to visit the park on weekdays. According to an official, 5,000 to 8,000 people visit the park on Sundays. With attractions inside and outside, the road gets cramped due to parking of two-wheelers on both sides. As vendors occupied the walkway, pedestrians had to use the road, Vasuki, a resident of Tallakulam, said, and suggested that the Corporation could open up a portion of Tamukkum Grounds for parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
A doctor, working in Government Rajaji Hospital, who visited Poonga Murugan Temple, adjacent to Rajaji Park, every day, said that with vehicles parked on both sides of the road, emergency vehicles found it difficult to negotiate the spot. With more people turning up, the police should strictly enforce road rules or the Corporation authorities should earmark space for parking in Tamukkum Grounds, he suggested. “If a city has to give an impression that it is healthy and pollution-free (to an extent), it should have parks, in the sense, well maintained parks,” J. Satishkumar, an architect, said, and added that instead of adding more numbers, the civic authorities should make their employees accountable for the upkeep. Every park should be user-friendly,” he summed up.
Eco Park is yet another attraction for nature lovers, environmentalists and for people who are on their morning stroll.
The colourful flowers, plants and huge lush green cover are well-maintained. The strict vigil by the watch and ward team has ensured that there is not much of litter (except on Sundays). The park was established almost over a decade back when Gagandeep Singh Bedi was the Commissioner.
“On his interest, he brought in plants from Bengaluru and set up many ornamental saplings,” Corporation officials recalled. Boat ride was an attraction in the park, but due to some reason or the other, it is not in operation regularly. Likewise, the dancing fountain too could be well-maintained, Rajagopal, a resident of KK Nagar, who visited the park daily, said.
A majority of the other parks, but for a few, remain in a shambles. The play equipment are damaged or the upkeep of lawns leaves much to be desired. In some places, public toilets in the proximity, like the one near Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, discouraged people from visiting the park. Similarly, dilapidated parks are havens for antisocials.
“Under the corporate social responsibility schemes, the Corporation can identify business houses and banks to maintain parks on an annual basis,” a senior executive of a public sector bank, who evinced interest in taking over maintenance of one or two parks in the city, said.
