CHENNAI: Out in the park and worried about your mobile phone running out of charge? Visitors to at least three of the eight parks being renovated under the Smart City project won’t have to worry about this as the parks will have mobile phone charging points powered by solar panels. Natesan Park, GN Chetty Road park, and CIT Nagar Park have been chosen to have the facility.
According to sources in the civic body, a similar initiative was being executed in cities like Pune and it was mulled to introduce it in parks here.
“It is to enable visitors to charge their mobiles and laptops,” said a senior official.
Solar panels of 1kV capacity have been sourced at a cost of of Rs 80,000 for the facility, sources said.
“There will be three such panels and charging points at Natesan Park, and one each
at GN Chetty Road and CIT Nagar parks,” said another official.
Eight parks are currently under renovation, with ramps, tactile flooring, new gym equipment, seating areas, skating rinks, yoga area, better lighting, parking space and space for yoga and exercise being set up. Natesan Park is being renovated to include a pond, two and four-wheeler parking, sports area, e-toilets, and landscaping. Visitors were surprised to note a charging point connected to solar panels inside the park, which has its regular crowd of morning and evening walkers.
“It is a good initiative. Usually, if we have to work on our laptops, a coffee shop is the first option that comes to our minds. Working in a park, amid the greenery is definitely a better option to consider,” said Ashwath, an HR professional.
Residents living around the parks also welcomed the initiative. “Having mobile charging points inside the park is definitely an amenity that will benefit many. It may come in handy to those who run out of charge, and need their phones in case of emergencies,” said VS Jayaraman, of Motilal Street.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
