Will the long-closed Tholkappia Poonga be re-opened soon?
Well, minister K N Nehru promised to open it in August.
On Wednesday, there was heightened activity across this reclaimed Nature zone, off Dr D G S Dinakaran Road and South Canal Bank Road, R. A. Puram. The buzz was that a VIP planned to visit the place.
One one side scores of Urbaser staff were cleaning up the driveways and walkways, beyond this, electricians and staff were busy trying out the lighting systems and still deeper, supervisors were ensuring that the Poonga looks presentable to special guests.
Over a long period this year, and with a big budget, many works have been going on here. An elevated, lit-up walkway allows visitors to walk from the west lung of the nature reserve to the east lung above the traffic ways of the Pattinapakkam road.
A huge welcome arch with lit signs has been built; it seems a tad out of place in what is a nature reserve. A cafe is seen near the gates. Walkways in the reserve have been restored.
But the work of laying giant pipes that link the estuarine waters of both waterbodies of the Poonga is still unfinished, with work across Dr D G S Dinakaran Road going on.
