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
