Chennai Book Park Inaugurated at Central Metro Station

Chennai gets a vibrant new Book Park at Central Metro with 4,300+ titles. Inaugurated by CM Stalin, it aims to foster a love for reading.

on Jun 11, 2025

Chennai Book Park Inaugurated at Central Metro Station

Those who alight at the Central Metro station today have one-stop access to books by major publishers, from Higginbothams to Katha, at the Chennai Book Park, inaugurated by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday.

A project of the School Education Department to inculcate a reading culture in the masses, the book park received a regular stream of readers on the inaugural day. Sandwiched between a drug store and a restaurant, on the way to the ticket booth, one would hardly ignore the park. Adorned with flowers and carpets, more than 4,300 books by more than 13 publishers were placed. Of these, 84 titles were launched on Tuesday.

The majority of the stalls had belonged to Tamil Nadu Text Book and Educational Services Corporation (TNTESC), who oversee the running of the park. Nakkheeran, Shanti, and Coral were some of the major publishers who had stalls. Schoolbooks, guides, and competitive exam books, predominantly Tamil, were on sale.

Books cost between ₹50 and ₹3,500. The CMRL still has to install signage for the park at entrance and exit points. TNTESC superintendent G Balaji explained the park would remain open from 9 am to 9 pm. "The timetable of weekend timings will be finalized in a couple of days.

At least three personnel, including security guards, will staff the complex," he said.

Chezhian Kumarasamy, Executive Director of a marketing company, said it was heartening to see people at a book park in an age of mobile phones. "I hope more parks of this type would be established in areas like airports and MRTS stations," he said.

Others, such as law student L Lakshmi, who went in expecting many autobiographies and non-fiction Tamil titles, admitted she was surprised to see English books on self-help.

Publication managers are not that hopeful about sales, though. "I don't know how many people will turn up. They are rushing to board trains," stated Sivakumar, who manages one of the publications. At 8:50 pm, the place made a sale of around ₹35,000.

The stalls have partnered with the TNTESC on a revenue-sharing basis, said Katha Books CEO Ravin Carr. "25% to 40% of the cost of sale (depending on the size of the stalls) will be shared with the govt," he said.

During the function, Chief Minister also opened 110 library buildings constructed in every district at an expenditure of ₹29.80 crore and 70 special libraries at bus stations, hospitals, and collectorates.