File photo of Semmozhi Poonga
| Photo Credit: SRINATH M
If you are planning a trip to Semmozhi Poonga then better be aware that the botanical garden on Cathedral Road is closed for the next few weeks.
Regular walkers to the sprawling garden were in for a rude shock as the gates were shut for them on December 9 morning. A banner displayed at the entrance by Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency says that the botanical garden is undergoing beautification and maintenance work and public cannot access the space until new dates are announced by the State Government.
The walkers group are upset as they were not informed in advance and an alternative space to walk has not been offered to them. The group have made a written representation to the Horticulture Department requesting if they could be allowed to walk inside Senganthal Poonga or Kalaignar Centenary Park.
“We should have at least been told when we came to renew our monthly passes or be allowed to use the next closest park with the same pass,” says Goutham Marlecha, a resident of Royapettah and a regular walker.
Seventy-four-year-old R. Balasubramanian walked to Marina beach from his home in Gopalapuram on December 11, but he does not find it safe as there are no footpaths. “Most walkers hit the parks early, so allowing us to use either of the other closest parks such that we leave before 8 a.m. should not cause any inconvenience to other activities happening inside the space,” says Balasubramanian.
Goutham suggests that as Senganthal Poonga is located in a residential area and closed for long; it could be opened for morning walkers.
Regarding the decision to keep it out of bounds for walkers, an officer says that there is a plan to conduct flower show and the proposal is that it will cover a larger area of the botanical garden. “The plan is to have arrangements across the eight acres of the garden, so we have a lot of preliminary work happening. There are people working in shifts and more than 15,000 plants are being unloaded every day,” says the official.
Public taking photographs while the flower arrangements are on is another reason for this decision.
In February 2024, when Semmozhi Poonga hosted the flower show the public including walkers were not allowed. “But as the Kalaignar Centenary Park was not opened then, walkers were asked to use the premises for their daily routine,” adds the official.
A senior official when contacted said the work that is currently underway is not in preparation for the flower show.
“We are taking up civil and irrigation work as this has been long pending, where we are digging across the land and getting new plants as well,” says the official.
The work is expected to be completed in two to three weeks. Regarding opening of other gardens for walkers, the official says that as Chennai received good rainfall the other parks also need dewatering.
“The lawns in these parks are comparatively fresh and we don’t want it be damaged allowing public in the early morning hours,” added the official.
Published – December 11, 2024 10:14 pm IST
