Residents urge Coimbatore Corporation to provide details of contractors responsible for park upkeep

Civic activists and citizens have called on Coimbatore Corporation to display the names of contractors responsible for park maintenance, citing lack of transparency in municipal operations.

While the Corporation contracts out landscaping, cleaning, and upkeep for its parks, there is no public information on who maintains each facility.

“Accountability begins with transparency. Without knowing who maintains these parks, residents have no way to raise complaints,” said consumer activist K. Kathirmathiyon.

Srinivasan, a resident of Ponnaiah Rajapuram (ward 73), said that a park in the area is becoming unusable due to lowering sand levels, loose pavers, and unchecked vegetation growth.

Under the Corporation’s current plan, ₹6.63 crore is allocated to maintain 373 of the city’s 412 parks across five zones. Ward-wise tenders have been awarded.

“To clear doubts, I filed an RTI in August 2025 requesting details of parks in wards 36 and 37, including contractor names, contract periods, payment details, and maintenance agreements. When the information was not provided within 30 days, I submitted an appeal under the RTI Act, but despite repeated follow-ups, the Corporation has still not released the details. A large sum is being spent on maintenance, yet nothing seems to be ensured. This raises concerns, and no new parks should be constructed until the existing ones are properly maintained,” said Mr. Kathirmathiyon.

Central zone chairperson Meena Logu said, “We had recommended that the Corporation go for zone-wise tenders for park maintenance. Instead, ward-wise contracts were issued, causing confusion about who is responsible. Councillors should follow up individually on each park.”

A senior Corporation official said that the old boards showing outdated information remain in the parks, but they will be replaced with new boards listing the current contractors, and the parks are being maintained properly.