Guindy Race Course to be Transformed into 118-Acre Eco Park

The Tamil Nadu government has finally made its first official move toward transforming the historic Guindy Race Course into a huge public green space. This has set off the process that will see the commission of a 118-acre Eco Park for the state. A tender inviting architects to draw up concept plans and feasibility reports has been floated by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency (TANHODA).

The proposed Eco Park, meant to enhance biodiversity, environmental learning, and recreation, will be a public garden on an acre scale for horticulture. The tender document states that the project will also include state-of-the-art areas such as a butterfly garden, bonsai garden, aviaries for birds, musical treetop walkways, themed glass houses, and a dancing fountain transforming the former racecourse into a vibrant green oasis for the city.

According to government officials, the park is to represent a balance between conservation and recreation and will thus become a family-oriented place that also offers ecological sustainability. When completed, it will become one of the largest and most diverse horticultural landscapes in Chennai.

TANHODA has opened its call for bids from qualified architects capable of providing the detailed conceptual planning and viability study needed for a comprehensive transformation. Since the agency’s tender indicates an oasis landscaped in greenery with naturalistic features that will reflect Tamil Nadu’s botanical heritage, it seems that relatively the agency is going to ensure that natural topography is maintained but goes beyond for attractions.

For that, the Guindy Race Course, which had once been identified as an identity with the Madras Race Club, now sees a gradual dwindling in its usage. Its change will also be in synchrony with the greater initiative of the government to increase green cover and public recreational spaces in urban areas.

This is followed by other green initiatives, which are ongoing within other parts of the city, like beautifying parks, developing more parks, or instituting new ones as biodiversity conservatories. In terms of action, this is a significant marker of the current trend toward conversion of such spaces for public and ecological purposes.

The deadline for accepting proposals is yet to be announced. After that, a firm will be selected and, according to reports, the time frame along with the public engagement plans will follow the plans for the project.