The tower at the Anna Nagar Tower Park stays closed for a month now
| Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B
Anna Nagar, Chennai: The tare of misinformation grows wild in fallow land, left untilled and uncultivated by reliable official communication.
The ascent up the winding staircase of the iconic tower at the Anna Nagar Tower Park is blocked, but not for the reason most residents in the vicinity and visitors from elsewhere assume it is.
Before going over the reason hanging mid-air without footings planted in official facts, here is the reason the tower remains untrodden for around a month now, as provided by Greater Chennai Corporation.
According to a Greater Chennai Corporation official from Zone VIII familiar with the developments pertaining to the park, there are three minor cracks, specifically on the second floor of the tower, that need to be fixed. Tender for carrying out the repairs had been floated, and the redemptive work would be carried out in the next ten to 15 days and the tower opened for use again. The tower was kept closed as the last 30 days or so were marked by festivals and resultant holidays and GCC did not want to risk further damage to the cracked spots on account of greater footfall, the official explained. Now, the purported reason, as vehemently believed by many residents and park users, for denial of access to the tower.
It has to do with the “lovey-dovey” section of the population, the mainstay at a majority of parks. The argument goes, based on thoughts distilled from interviews with some residents of spaces outside the park, that “lovebirds” had been tarrying for all eternity in the park, leading many habitues to tut-tut their disapproval to GCC. And that the closure of the tower was the official response. The GCC official notes the park is vast and mushy couples can find any space to share a private moment, not just the tower. And if there is no rule forbidding those who have paired up to visit the park (or any park for that matter); and why would they be restrained from entering the tower? The official notes that as a matter of regular park governance, any indecent behaviour would be checked and bad actors brought to book. there are security personnel at the park to go on rounds, including the climb up the tower, to prevent such acts, the official clarified.
Published – January 17, 2026 08:00 pm IST
