Tamil Nadu to develop city's own 'Central Park' on 118 of 160 acres of MRC land

CHENNAI: In line with what Chennaiites were hoping for, a sprawling park and horticultural garden will come up on 118 of the 160 acres the govt recently took back from the Madras Race Club.

It will be modelled on New York's Central Park, and will have walking and cycling paths, spaces for people to exercise and also just sit amid nature, and lots of flowers. The govt has issued a GO setting aside the 118 acres at Guindy/Velachery, conservatively valued at 4,832 crore, for the purpose.

"It is also important to create these green areas for the health and recreation of the people of Chennai. These parks have to be created in places where they do not exist. Creating a big park in Chennai will ensure the sustainability of the environment. Parks play an important role in physical and mental health welfare of the people," the govt said in a note on Sunday.

Activists laud state govt move
The land parcel forms part of the 160.86 acres in Venkatapuram, Adyar and Velachery that had been given on a 99-year lease to the Race Club on April 1, 1946, for a paltry rent of 614.13 a year. The lease given by the British had no provision for rent revision. The state govt cancelled the lease on Sept 9 saying the land was required for public use.

This is the third and biggest park to be developed by the present govt. Work is underway on the other two - the Kalaignar Centenary Park on R K Salai and a park in Ooty, both on govt land retrieved from private parties.

Environmentalists have welcomed the move to turn the Madras Race Club land into a green space. G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal said, "Chennai is already the hottest mega city of the country since our green cover is very low. A horticultural space will definitely help reduce the heat island effect." The space should be developed with native trees and maintained well, he added.

As per the 2011 census, Chennai had a population of 86.9 lakh and the per capita green cover was 1.03 square metres.