Soft launch of Adyar Poonga with ‘controlled’ public viewing

Set in the backdrop of a concrete jungle and congested roads, the Adyar Poonga offers the people of Chennai a chance to spend a short while amid peaceful, natural environs. Take a walk on well-laid pathways, listen to the chirping of birds, stretch out under the canopy of thatched hut and discover an expanse of green as vast as the forest. All this, in the heart of the city.

The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) has made a soft launch of the park endowed with rich flora and fauna to the public. A senior official of the CRRT said the park would be available for ‘controlled’ public viewing between 2.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through advanced online booking. Residents can book trips on http://www.chennairivers.gov. in.

The park, at present, is open for school students on all days from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., except on weekends and public holidays. And it turns out the facility has been able to provide a fine education to the students.

G. Thangaraj, District Coordinator, National Green Corps, has been one of the foremost advocates of encouraging student visits to the park.

He said the park helps in bridging the theoretical and practical gaps on environment studies to the students who get first-hand exposure to the natural setting, types of trees and birds.

The Adyar Creek and Estuary that was spread across more than 358 acres was proposed to be restored in two phases — Adyar Eco Park Phase I and Phase II.

In Phase I of the project, 58 acres were restored by arresting sewage discharge in the park, creating water bodies, setting up nurseries, installing solar lights and planting vegetation on large tract of lands.

Work on the remaining 300 acres is under progress as part of Phase II.