CM Edappadi Palaniswami to inaugurate Pedestrian Plaza at Chennai's Pondy Bazaar

In some stretches, like near the divisional unit of Chennai Metro Water in T Nagar, the civic body has painted murals on the walls.
The plaza comes with various facilities
The plaza comes with various facilities

CHENNAI: Chief minister Edappaddi K Palaniswami will inaugurate the Pedestrian Plaza at Pondy Bazaar in T Nagar today at 6 pm, according to a Corporation statement. The construction of Pedestrian Plaza began in 2018 at a cost of Rs 39.86 crore and the smart roads were built for Rs 19.11 crore. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, Corporation commissioner G Prakash and principal secretary to Government, Harmander Singh will be present at the event.

In some stretches, like near the divisional unit of Chennai Metro Water in T Nagar, the civic body has painted murals on the walls. Near Panagal Park, the civic body has set up smart bikes. However, the plaza has drawn flak over continuous traffic woes. Though parking is banned on the shoppers park their vehicles on the plaza causing inconvenience to pedestrians.

Despite ‘no hawker’ signboards, several hawkers have encroached the plaza too. TNIE reported in August about the abovementioned issue. Officials had said that CCTV cameras would monitor illegally parked vehicles and that the parking would be pushed to the side roads. Three more areas — Anna Nagar, Tondiarpet and Velachery — may also get pedestrian plazas with the Corporation initiating a study on a few pockets for utility ducting — an underground passage to carry utility lines such as electricity, water and sewage connections — and creating public spaces.

The stretch near the Metro station in Tondiarpet and Anna Nagar Second Avenue has been finalised while the Corporation is in the process of identifying an area in the south Chennai, mostly in or around Velachery.

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