The Tiruchi City Corporation has commenced civil work to set up an inclusive park with recreation facilities for all sections of people, including persons with disabilities and elders, on Race Course Road in Khajamalai.
A first-of-its-kind park in the city will come up on walking tracks around the Anna Stadium at a cost of ₹7.5 crore. The existing tracks will be redeveloped and the space between the tracks and public property will be utilised to develop activity-based recreational spaces.
It will focus on people with different types of disabilities and have disabled-friendly play equipment with barrier-free access. The park will have a separate space to display tactile replicas of artistic sculptures to attract visually impaired people. The plan includes provisions for yoga and meditation for senior citizens, a disabled-friendly open-air gym, and a play area for children.
As the walking tracks on Race Course Road attract many residents, the location had been chosen for the model project. “The available space between the tracks will be utilised to the maximum extent for developing new infrastructure and encouraging non-motorised transport and walking,” said a senior Corporation official.
The tiles on the walking tracks have been replaced with anti-slippery pedestrian platforms will be provided to ensure the safety of users. Vintage streetlights with seating arrangements are planned on the walking tracks to add amenities for walkers. The park is expected to be completed within six months, the official said.
Since maintaining the redeveloped tracks with added amenities was crucial, a plan to bring the stretch under CCTV surveillance to prevent damage to properties is on the cards. The civic body will hold a meeting with the district administration to discuss the possibilities of strengthening the compound walls of government properties abutting the track as they appear weak and collapsed a few months ago.
