London’s Hyde Park-like environment being planned for Chennai in Guindy

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to create a Hyde Park-like low-maintenance urban park in the portion of land that was recently recovered by it in Guindy, and handed over to the horticulture department. It had recently regained possession of 160.86 acres of urban land, which were earlier being used by the Madras Race Club, in Venkatapuram, Adyar and Velachery. This development comes after the government initially decided to create a public horticultural garden in the land, in Chennai totalling 118 acres.

While the plans or Detailed Project Report is not yet ready, nor an exact plan, the horticulture department is proceeding on the lines of the famous urban park in the heart of London. Hyde Park, used to be the hunting grounds of King Henry VIII, but was transformed into a most-sought after public green space. Contiguous with Kensington Gardens, separated by the Serpentine Lake, the Hyde Park zone has become London’s Green Lung. It is a popular picnic spot and contains within it several heritage sites and accommodates events the year through.

On the Tamil Nadu government’s radar is a similar facility, with maximum green space, and minimal concretisation. The plan is to build a green space in the heart of the city that the people of Chennai can visit to relax and have picnics, with all the public utilities that are required to cater to such activity, an official said. Once the government takes possession of the earmarked land, and the land has been properly surveyed and handed over to the horticulture department, the final plans for the landscaping, a detailed project report, and blue prints will be readied, officials added. The government has re-possessed 118 acres in Guindy, belong to the Madras Race Club, and 50 acres in Ooty.

Earlier, in a release, the Tamil Nadu government rationalised: “Since the land given to Madras Race Club on lease is required for public use, the Tamil Nadu government has cancelled the lease, and is set to create a public horticultural garden, public green spaces and public utilities, among others.” On a request from the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, the land, categorised as ‘government poromboke’ and measuring 118 acres with a value of ₹4,832 crore, had been handed over to the Department, it added.