Group of children playing cricket at a park in Korattur.
| Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN
Residents’ associations in various parts of the city have demanded the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to prohibit youth from playing cricket in public parks in order to promote the safety of walkers.
T.V. Shemmozhi, Councillor of ward 104 in Anna Nagar, said following demand from the residents’ associations, the civic body had planned to erect display boards in the ward this week. The boards would announce that playing cricket had been prohibited in parks.
“Senior citizens in Iswarya Colony and Vasantham Colony in Anna Nagar suffered bruises multiple times after a large number of teenagers played cricket. The walkers have asked the GCC to create more playgrounds for the youngsters to play in,” he said.
J. John, Councillor of ward 84 in Ambattur, said his ward in the Korattur area had only one playground and two parks. Some of the walkers here had filed police complaints after being hit as a result of cricket games in parks. “We have a 10-ground area at the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) Second Street in Korattur. A large number of senior citizens gather in theses open spaces for walks. Since many young people play cricket in the same area, the senior citizens have been unable to walk,” Mr. John said.
“The TNHB has been constructing a large number of houses in areas such as Korattur without leaving open spaces to build parks and playgrounds. One such vacant piece of land has also been converted into a layout by the TNHB. Residents have also complained about the encroachment of a waterbody by the private owner of a large parcel of land. Citizens have demanded the GCC to create a playground,” Mr. John added.
Otteri resident and advocate Madhan Kumar, who has been campaigning for a playground in ward 75 of north Chennai, said the Greater Chennai Corporation assured that a modern playground would be constructed in a space used for dumping waste, after the Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar MLA agreed to fund its construction.
“This summer, the local youth will not have enough spaces to play. We expect the GCC to start the work after the poll code is lifted,” he said.