CHENNAI: The ambitious mega streets project, which will see important stretches redesigned and transformed, has begun to take shape.
Greater Chennai Corporation will send the designs to the government by December-end under the project that is scheduled to be completed in two years, said Meghanath Reddy, deputy commissioner (works).
MC Road in Thiruvottiyur, Cathedral Road and Khader Nawaz Khan Road in Nungambakkam, CP Ramasamy Road in Mylapore, Little Mount and Race Course Road in Velachery, Taluk Bank Road, West Canal Bank Road and Canal Bank Road in Adyar and Third Avenue, Pulla Avenue, Kilpauk Garden Road in Anna Nagar have been selected for revamp.
“Once we get the funds, we will start the project immediately. Utilities and aesthetics are the major aspects. Apart from this, the stakeholders are at the core as we are consulting them at every stage. Recently, we held meetings with various stakeholders and sent out forms to be filled. One of the major aspects raised is maintenance which we will ensure,” said Reddy.
The cost of laying each kilometre will be between `15 crore and `20 crore. “The redesigned stretches will have footpaths, cycle tracks and public spaces to ensure people of all social status can use them. In front of Phoenix Mall in Velachery, we will create space for everyone. On Race Course Road, all art forms will be performed and recreational space will be created. Vendors on the stretch from Concord Jn to Little Mount Link will be regularised to form an eat street,” said Nitin Warrier of IBI Designs, consultant for Velachery.
MC Road will have an arch at the entrance making it a tourist destination. A consultant from Oasis Designs Inc said the image of North Chennai, neglected in terms of street and pedestrian infrastructure, is set to change. “Metro station will be the centre around which we will design roads with designated vending area, shopping area, pedestrian footpath, play spaces and toilets,” he said.
Corporation commissioner G Prakash had told TOI earlier that after the project was complete, the roads would not be dug up for at least 30 years. “All utilities will be underground and won’t require digging for repairs.”
However, residents remain apprehensive as vendors are back at the Pondy Bazaar pedestrian plaza and in places like KK Nagar, Besant Nagar and other places with such plazas, two-wheeler parking is a nuisance. V S Jayaraman of T Nagar said residents were not consulted for any project. Another resident, B Kannan, said Pondy Bazaar plaza had created traffic snarls on interior streets as the narrow road was now a parking lot.
A corporation official said the mistakes made in Pondy Bazaar will not be repeated. “We are consulting stakeholders this time. We will demarcate spaces for hawkers. We will ensure utilities are underground,” he said.