CHENNAI CORPORATION: TNAU to study setting up of Orchid garden at Marina Beach

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on July 15, 2010:

CHENNAI: Taking another step towards setting up a world-class orchid garden at Marina Beach, the Corporation has appointed a consultancy to study the basic structural design needed for the facility with controlled climatic conditions suitable for the exotic species.
According to Ripon Building sources, a team of horticulture experts from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, has been appointed to study the requirements for the facility, a few days ago.

The team which has already completed the site inspection has been asked to submit a detailed project report (DPR) within three weeks based on which, further steps will be taken in the second phase of ground works, sources said.

The consultancy is to study the design needed for long-term sustainment, to look into the plan of setting up a greenhouse and to control sea breeze at the garden.

Mayor Subramanian had already announced in March this year about the proposal, at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore in a one-acre plot at the Marina Beach.

About 60% of space will be for nursery-related activities and the rest will be a pathway.

In the second phase, the civic body has planned to collect details about the varieties of orchids that could be housed following which, a group of officials may visit the National Orchid Garden at Singapore to study the operations there.