Open spaces beneath several flyovers in the city will soon be beautified with vertical gardens on pillars, sculptures, fountains and focus lights.

The Highways Department has called for tenders from contractors to take up works to landscape and green the spaces available under flyovers at Thirumangalam, Tambaram, Chromepet, Pallavaram, Meenambakkam, Moolakadai and the one on the Poonamallee High Road at the Nelson Manickam Road junction.

Sources in the Department explained that the works were to be taken up under the annual Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme (CRIDP) for 2019-20. “Works are expected to begin by mid-November. We will be installing borewells and sumps to maintain the green spaces. The vertical gardens will help keep the walls clean and free from posters,” an official said.

Surface renewal

Under the Chennai city roads division, over 120 works are to be carried out, at a total cost of ₹160 crore. These include drains along the GST Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Salai. “Surface renewal of service lanes to the Anna flyover and of the Saidapet Bridge will be taken up after the monsoon,” said an engineer associated with the projects. The Medavakkam-Mambakkam-Sembakkam Road will be widened from end-to-end using available land.

Similarly, in Kancheepuram district, 117 works are to be carried, at a total cost of ₹110 crore. Sources said the works include surface renewal and strengthening of phase 2 of Rajiv Gandhi Salai from Navalur to Tiruporur, the Vandalur-Mambakkam-Kelambakkam Road and roads inside Mamallapuram town. In neighbouring Tiruvallur, where many roads are being maintained under performance-based maintenance contracts, works under CRIDP are to be taken up at a cost of ₹82 crore, under which 45 km of roads and 16 bridges would get surface renewal and strengthening.