I must admit I knew very little about the Adyar Poonga project, apart from seeing the beautifully painted murals on Greenways road. I noticed that these were similar to the ones at the ECR tollgate, and on further inquiry found that they were done by Auroville based artists. But what were they doing at such a busy junction? I asked around and was informed that they were part of the Adyar poonga project (and which planet had I been on?)
It is an ecological park being set up in a joint venture between the Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC) and the Tamil Nadu Government - planned and executed by Auroville's Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants. There didn't seem to be much real information online, until I stumbled across this article on Auroville Today. Please take a few minutes to read it, as it is an interesting chronicle of the long journey from conception of the idea in the mid 1990's to actual work beginning on site in early 2008.
And although it is still a work in progress, the change is already very much apparent. Residents in the neighbouring apartments now open their windows to greenery, fresh air and the sound of birds - rather than keep them shut to keep out the stench, as they used to do just a few years ago. A reminder that positive change is possible - even here in Chennai.
