Panagal Park

Panagal Park is a park and a locality in T Nagar, Chennai. The park is named after the Raja of Panagal, the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency who created the park. It is an important junction and is the commercial centre of T Nagar.HistoryWhen the Long Lake on the western peripheral region of the old city was drained out and the area of T. Nagar was newly carved out of the existing neighborhood of Mambalam in 1923, a park was developed in the centre of the new locality intended to be a residential one. The park was named Panagal Park honouring the then Chief Minister of Madras, the Raja of Panagal.In the early days, there was a public radio inside the park to cater the visitors who gathered there to listen to music and news and stayed till the last news broadcast at 7.15 p.m.The architect of Panagal Park was Ganesh Iyer.The parkThe park covers 8acre and has three entry points.RenovationIn 2008, the Chennai Corporation started renovating the park at a cost of 13 million. The renovated works included construction of children's play area and public convenience, beautification of the three entry points, development of lotus pond and sitting gallery, construction of walkways and development of landscaped lawn.The renovated park was reopened on 21 February 2010.Commercial establishmentsPanagal Park is home to many commercial establishments and department stores. Almost all the shops are concentrated on South Usman Road and Ranganathan Street.Several high-end retail stores surround the park, including Sri Krishna Collections, Nalli Chinnasamy Chetti, Pothys, Saravana Stores, and Sri Kumaran Silks.