Parks in Chennai to Reopen After Cyclone Fengal Cleanup
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced that all 871 parks managed by the civic body will reopen to the public on Tuesday morning. The parks were temporarily closed on Friday to prevent accidents caused by Cyclone Fengal.
GCC Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran confirmed the reopening on Monday, stating that extensive cleanup operations had been carried out over the past two days. "We cleared almost all fallen trees and addressed waterlogging issues," the commissioner said.
The cleanup drive resulted in the removal of at least 300 tonnes of garden waste from parks across the city. On Sunday, the corporation collected 3,942 tonnes of waste, followed by 3,680 tonnes on Monday. The highest volume, 631 tonnes, came from the Royapuram zone, followed by Tondiarpet (481 tonnes) and Teynampet (401 tonnes).
Parks like Anna Park in Royapuram and Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore experienced severe inundation, and several trees were uprooted. Play equipment in KP Park sustained damage due to the heavy rains. GCC officials stated that estimates are being prepared for repair work.
More than 200 tree-cutting machines and park staff were deployed to clear the fallen trees, some of which had blocked interior roads and disrupted traffic.
Additionally, GCC conducted 192 medical camps to address potential health concerns following the cyclone, benefiting 10,226 residents.
The parks` reopening marks a significant step towards restoring normalcy in the city after Cyclone Fengal`s impact.
