Public parks play a key role in recreation and health of citizens. For children growing up in fast developing, concretised urbanscapes, time spent in parks is their only respite from walls — in their houses and schools and tuitions. It is a good thing for citizens, therefore, that renovation of parks gets a mention in almost all annual budgets of the Chennai Corporation.
However, a visit to some of the public parks in the city will break your heart. On the ground, these parks are anything but child friendly, with most of the play equipment and accessories to engage children ill-maintained and even badly damaged in most places.
Citizen Matters visited some of these parks and here is what it found as far as physical infrastructure is concerned:
A damaged seesaw at a public park in Turnbulls Road, Nandanam. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
Kids’ box grid climbing frame is rusted and a few joints have broken due to which sharp edges are protruding dangerously. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
Broken pavement at a park in Bharatidasan Nagar in K K Nagar. Though the corporation has taken up the renovation work, locals say that it has been progressing at a very slow place. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
The broken, dangerous surface of the slide at the Bharathidasan Nagar park in K K Nagar. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
This slide at the K K Nagar park has been in this broken state for more than two months now. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
Another broken slide at the Panchayat-maintained park in Madambakkam is filled with debris and is in a pathetic condition. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
The seesaw that was! Now, it’s just the presence of the base steel rod at Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani Nagar park. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
Kids at the Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani nagar park are seen putting away an iron rod that was dangerously jutting out near the seesaw. A child was recently hurt while playing on the seesaw. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
Hanging empty: Broken and abandoned swings are not replaced at the Kotturpuram Djandayuthapani nagar park. Pic: Prashanth Goutham
The playing items are used by children of ages till 10 / 12. Many a times I have seen hefty teens also walking up the slide in the opposite direction which leads to the fibre material to break.Not just the corporation, Children and their parents are equally responsible. Watchmen should also warn such children.