The Hindu       22.03.2016  

Maintenance of parks takes a beating

Parks in many parts of the city are said to be suffering from insufficient maintenance as the contract with a number of private contractors has expired.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has identified at least 112 parks that have not been maintained properly as result of this. Many of the parks don’t have watchmen and gardeners.

The civic body has permitted private contractors to employ one gardener and one watchman for every park measuring less than 1600 sq.m. Two gardeners and one watchman are being hired by private contractors for parks measuring more than 1600 sq m. Over 30 percent of the parks in the city measure over1600 sq m.

With officials busy with election work, maintenance of other aspects such as drip irrigation, lighting, gates, fountains and footpaths has also been inadequate.

Usually, the contract period is two years. Some of the contracts have been extended. A few contractors have also reportedly complained about the restriction in the number of workers for large parks such as Perambur Flyover Park, which has just three labourers despite measuring 6,000 sq.m. Following the takeover of parks by Metrorail, many contractors have been unable to carry out the maintenance work.

In some places, Metro work

has come in

the way of maintaining parks