Police stn, waste dumping eat into Vyasarpadi playground

Chennai: A corporation playground in Vyasarpadi's MKB Nagar East Avenue has turned into a dumping yard for construction and demolition waste. The ground, located opposite the Vyasarpadi police station, is full of abandoned vehicles and parked police vans, drastically reducing space for children and sports activities.The issue began around three years ago when the P3 Vyasarpadi police station was shifted to a makeshift facility inside the playground after its original building collapsed in 2022. Since then, residents say the ground has steadily fallen into neglect. During a visit on Friday, at least 20 stone benches, once placed along the edges of the playground, were found dumped in the middle, occupying a large portion of the field. Around 10 autos and police vehicles were also seen parked inside the premises.Before the police station was relocated, the playground was widely used and hosted regular football matches and local tournaments. Residents recall that more than 100 people used the ground daily. Today, the space has shrunk so much that even small games are difficult to organize.V Prabhu, an advocate and a resident of Sathyamoorthy Nagar, said the condition of the playground has severely impacted the local community. "Earlier, tournaments were held here, and many people used the ground every day. Now, there is hardly space for even 10 people to play. Outside the ground, there is also a dilapidated water tank that could collapse anytime. The corporation and metrowater must act immediately," he said.S Prabhakar, a district-level football player and resident of MKB Nagar, said players are now forced to rely on paid turfs. "Private turfs charge 800 to 1,200 per hour, which many cannot afford. We now adjust to smaller spaces, but debris on the ground often causes injuries," he said.Despite repeated complaints from residents, no action has been taken so far. Regional deputy commissioner (North), Katta Ravi Teja, was unavailable for comment.However, police officials said the govt has sanctioned a budget to build a new police station on Basin Bridge land, but it is stalled due to inter-department approvals.