Over 3000 Sign Petition to Stop Concretisation of Nageswara Rao Park in Luz Avenue

An online petition launched by Luz Avenue resident Supraja Srinivasan to save Nageswara Rao Park in Luz Avenue, Chennai, from excessive concretisation has gathered more than 3,000 signatures as of July 4, 2026. The campaign urges the Greater Chennai Corporation to halt ongoing modernization works and restore the park's green spaces.

Srinivasan started the petition on Change.org to protest the ongoing modernization works, which she states have stripped the park of its trees and eroded its natural vegetation. According to the petition, massive patches of concrete are being added to the park grounds every day, replacing the natural landscape.

A major point of concern highlighted in the petition is a massive iron structure with a concrete floor that currently dominates the park. Srinivasan also raised concerns about children's safety in the park, pointing out that play areas have been laid with concrete, which poses potential safety hazards for young children.

Before launching the online petition, Srinivasan had been raising these issues with various local authorities. She has represented the matter to officials including the Chief Minister and the local MLA, urging them to relook at the modernization plan. These efforts follow public criticism of the project, including a June 28 report in The Hindu Downtown titled 'Concrete rebirth' of Nageswara Rao Park decried.

The petition appeals directly to the Greater Chennai Corporation to take immediate action. The signatories are demanding that the civic body halt further concretisation, re-evaluate the entire development plan, restore the lost green spaces, and ensure that the play areas are safe for children. Additionally, the petition emphasizes the need to preserve the park's crucial ecological role as a natural flood sink for the Luz Avenue neighborhood.