CHENNAI: Banners have disappeared on roads outside the Chennai airport, and wall posters could soon follow suit. If the efforts taken by Airports Authority of India, the state highways department and Chennai Metro Rail Limited can be replicated elsewhere in the city, most walls could become free of posters and graffiti.
The three agencies have come together to put an end to defacing of walls, pillars and medians with posters along the stretch from airport to Guindy, offering a good first impression to those landing at the airport.
CMRL has deployed two teams to remove posters on metro rail pillars and station walls. It has now put up warning messages on all walls and pillars on the stretch promising legal action against violators.
AAI, on its part, had begun beautify the walls at its airport campus near Meenambakkam by roping in students and artists soon after the announcement of Modi-Xi summit in Mamallapuram. "We spoke to the highways departement and painted the walls and ensured that they are free of posters. The highways department have made a small garden in the land that was recovered after metro rail work was completed near the Trident hotel area of GST Road. This has been maintained well so far," said an airport official.
CMRL's efforts seem to have paid off. Officials said that since January, walls and pillars of metro rail property across both the corridors on Anna Salai and Poonamallee High Road are free of posters.
A metro rail official said, "So far, we have filed 10 police complaints.. the violators were warned by police," an official said. The efforts have shown results.
CMRL officials said their anti-defacement teams comprise of a policeman, a station controller and an assistant to remove posters.
On the road ahead, CMRL plans to develop vertical gardens and lease out space on pillars for advertisements. "We have to get permission from the highways and city corporation to allow advertisements on pillars," an official said.
Experts said the efforts of CMRL, AAI and highways department is laudable and could be replicated elsewhere in the city by the corporation too.
The three agencies have come together to put an end to defacing of walls, pillars and medians with posters along the stretch from airport to Guindy, offering a good first impression to those landing at the airport.
CMRL has deployed two teams to remove posters on metro rail pillars and station walls. It has now put up warning messages on all walls and pillars on the stretch promising legal action against violators.
AAI, on its part, had begun beautify the walls at its airport campus near Meenambakkam by roping in students and artists soon after the announcement of Modi-Xi summit in Mamallapuram. "We spoke to the highways departement and painted the walls and ensured that they are free of posters. The highways department have made a small garden in the land that was recovered after metro rail work was completed near the Trident hotel area of GST Road. This has been maintained well so far," said an airport official.
CMRL's efforts seem to have paid off. Officials said that since January, walls and pillars of metro rail property across both the corridors on Anna Salai and Poonamallee High Road are free of posters.
A metro rail official said, "So far, we have filed 10 police complaints.. the violators were warned by police," an official said. The efforts have shown results.
CMRL officials said their anti-defacement teams comprise of a policeman, a station controller and an assistant to remove posters.
On the road ahead, CMRL plans to develop vertical gardens and lease out space on pillars for advertisements. "We have to get permission from the highways and city corporation to allow advertisements on pillars," an official said.
Experts said the efforts of CMRL, AAI and highways department is laudable and could be replicated elsewhere in the city by the corporation too.
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