An artificial water fountain is to be set up at the Kamarajar Statue round about near Chathram Bus Stand in Tiruchi. | Photo Credit: M_SRINATH more-in The city is set to get more lung space with 16 new public parks to be developed under the Smart City Project. The initiative would involve re-developing some of the existing public parks that have long languished in neglect for want of proper maintenance and funds. “Work orders for development of the 16 parks have already been issued and the works will commence in about three months time,” Corporation Special Officer-cum-Commissioner N. Ravichandran said. The Corporation has already improved and redeveloped some public parks in the city. Open gyms have been provided in some of them and almost all of them have been patronised well by city residents. The continued focus on improving the green space would help improve the overall image of the city, officials said. Lourdusamy Park, Thiraviyam Pillai Park and the parks at Akilandeswari Nagar, Burma Colony, Periyar Nagar near Airport, Thangaiya Nagar, Major Saravanan Memorial Park in Bheema Nagar, Karthikeya Garden in Thiruvanaikovil, Vedanthri Nagar in East Boulevard are among those to be developed under the initiative. The parks are to be developed at a total cost of ?14.21 crore. Besides development of the parks, the Corporation would also set up artificial water fountains in some of the parks and traffic islands as part of the city beautification efforts. The Thiruvanaikovil Trunk Road, Central Bus Stand, Kamarajar Statue round about, the Bharathidasan Road traffic island and MGR Statue Junction at Lawsons Road are some the sports identified for setting up the decorative fountains. The fountains are to be set up at a cost of ?1.47 crore. Answering a query, Mr. Ravichandran said that the civic body would take a decision on handing over the parks to maintenance for private companies or organisations after the project was completed. Stating that there was no delay in executing works sanctioned under the Smart City project, Mr. Ravichandran said construction of a commercial complex at Thillai Nagar under the project is all set to begin. The complex with ground-plus three floors of commercial space is to be built at a cost of ?15 crore and is expected to help improve the civic body’s revenue. The Corporation is also awaiting clearance for a couple of major projects for improving the drinking water distribution and the underground sewer line networks under the Smart City project.

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