CHENNAI: Chennai may soon get a modern Science City, with the Periyar Science and Technology Centre set for a major upgrade. A team from the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Kolkata, recently inspected the centre and gave a positive assessment of its infrastructure and steady footfall.

Following the visit, the team has asked the higher education department to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to convert the 36-year-old institution into a full-fledged Science City.

The Periyar centre draws about 1,500 visitors on weekdays and more than 3,000 on weekends. However, its galleries, set up in the late 1980s, have had minimal technological improvements. The proposed upgrade includes digital and immersive exhibits, interactive demonstrations, AI-enabled learning modules and a 500-seater auditorium.

Officials said the NCSM team has asked the state to carry out a detailed survey of the centre’s infrastructure needs before drafting the DPR. “The report can be submitted only after April next year, once NCSM completes its ongoing projects,” an official from the Periyar centre said.

“We have already allocated Rs 100 crore for the centre in this year’s budget. The NCSM team told us that if our DPR is approved, the union government will also contribute,” a senior higher education department official said.

“The NCSM team has shared a roadmap. We will soon begin the survey and DPR preparation,” added Higher Education secretary P Shankar.

For the Periyar centre, the upgrade would be a major shift. The plan includes immersive digital galleries, AI-based interactive spaces, outdoor science parks and expanded facilities for school groups and tourists, repositioning it as a significant public science destination.

The story is reported by Binita Jaiswal for The New Indian Express