GCC Officials Inspect Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore After Resident Protests

Officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) visited Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore on Monday, August 17, 2026, to hear concerns raised by local residents regarding the ongoing ₹12-crore redevelopment project and the construction of stormwater drains inside the premises.

The inspection followed a 90-minute silent protest held at the park on Sunday, August 16, by members of the Alliance of Residents Welfare Associations (AoRWA) along with residents from Mylapore and neighbouring neighbourhoods. Around 120 residents participated in the gathering, holding placards with messages such as 'Give Back Our Park' and 'Protect Urban Lung Spaces'.

Protesters expressed strong objections to the loss of green cover, alleging that nearly 40 trees had been cut down and patches of greenery cleared to make room for concrete structures. They also raised issues regarding the removal of native bushes and the extensive paving taking place across the park grounds.

T.D. Babu, environmentalist and secretary of AoRWA, noted that stormwater drain construction began inside the park roughly six months ago. He stated that there was no evidence of compensatory sapling plantation carried out by the authorities following the tree removals.

During their visit on Monday, GCC officials acknowledged the grievances presented by the residents. The officials stated that while removing and restoring sections of the park that have already been concretised would be difficult, the civic body is willing to enhance and improve the green cover across the remaining areas of the park.