Chennai: Amid complaints over restricted public access and concerns about inadequate manpower for upkeep, Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) has decided to outsource the maintenance and security of the 358 acre Tholkappia Poonga, including the Adyar creek and estuary.According to tender documents, the outsourced agency will have to deploy 104 personnel to maintain the eco-park — 49 for horticulture and general maintenance, and 55 security personnel. The maintenance team will comprise 37 Mazdoor I and 12 Mazdoor II workers, besides an ecologist/manager and a mangrove specialist to keep track of mangroves near the estuary.The agency will be responsible for cleaning, watering, weeding, landscaping, nursery upkeep, pruning, waste collection and maintenance of pathways, bridges, visitor facilities and other assets. It will remove aquatic weeds, sediment and debris from water bodies and monitor stormwater inlets to prevent sewage from entering the park.For security, 48 guards will work in three shifts across 14 designated locations, supervised by six security supervisors and a security officer. The contract is for a year, with provision for an extension for another year, based on performance, the tender documents said. The contractor will also manage the entry and exit acccess, and will maintain a register for residents.TOI had earlier reported how Tholkappia Poonga had become a walking club for the VIPs and that the limited slots were booked for months. Tamil Nadu govt, after the story, expanded the slots from 500 a day to 3,000, and halved the cost of the walking pass. The govt issued colour-coded passes to restrict entry to specific days to avoid overcrowding.As the park is an ecologically sensitive area, the entries will continue to be limited, said an official, adding that the outsourcing is largely for the upkeep.
