After reclaiming 6.35 acres of land in Cathedral Road from the possession of Agri Horticultural Society, a private organisation, the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops has launched its customer service and opened it to the public.
“We have shifted the outlet of the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency (Tanhoda) from K.K. Nagar to the reclaimed land and started selling plants, seeds and manure. We have created a link between the new area and the contiguous Senganthal Poonga, which was opened to the public in 2020,” said R. Brinda Devi, Director, Horticulture and Plantation Crops.
The department removed the fence for 12 feet to link the two areas, paving the way for the walkers of the Senganthal Poonga to explore the newly acquired area, where there are two wells and two borewells, an artificial mountain and innumerable trees, offering it a look of a mini forest. There is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi unveiled by the former Chief Minister M. Bhaktavatsalam in 1966.
Ms. Devi, who is the managing director of TANHODA, said the premises would get a facelift and amenities such as a walking path would be taken up in consultation with the government. Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan visited the area to study possible improvements to be made in the area. There are three guest houses.
Asked about an earlier proposal to link Senganthal Poonga with Semmozhi Poonga on the other side of the road, Ms. Devi said nothing had been finalised. “Whether to create a skywalk or an underground link is the question because of the Metro Rail project. It will be decided later,” she said.
The land with an estimated value of ₹1,000 crore came to the possession of the department after a prolonged legal fight by the DMK government. The area where Senganthal Poonga situated now was also under the control of the Agri Horticultural Society. It covered over 6 acres and was converted into a park with a walking path, an open theatre and a pergola.
Amid the concrete jungle in the heart of the city, Senganthal Poonga, Semmozhi Poonga, and the newly possessed land will function as the much-needed lung space.
Ms. Devi said her department had taken stock of belongings left behind by the Agri Horticultural Society in a place. “There are also several plants and saplings kept by the society for sale. We have not touched any of them. But our workers are watering the plants,” she said.
