Pedestrians using the Taramani Link Road can soon have some respite from the heat.
The highways department will soon install stainless steel bus shelters at five points on one side of the 3.5-km long road that connects the Velachery bus terminus with Rajiv Gandhi Salai (the shelters will be on the right side for those travelling from SRP Tools Junction to Vijayanagar Junction).
“We have already asked for quotations and expect the shelters to be installed by April. They will come up at the bus bays,” said an official source. Shelters will come up near Baby Nagar, TCS, Perungudi Junction and Velachery Junction where the highways department has completed work on widening the road.
On the other side, the facilities will be installed only after the Water Resources Department (WRD) completes construction of a macro drain under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to carry excess water from the Veerangal Odai to the South Buckingham Canal.
“The idea of installing bus shelters is good because there are not many trees on the side of the road, especially near the bus stops. Due to the construction work there is a lot of dust on the road. If steps are taken to sweep the road, it would be of great help to commuters,” said Manikantan, a resident of Velachery.
Shelters are being installed only on one side of the road as the WRD work is progressing on the other side. The drain work is expected to be completed by September, after which the Highways would take up road-laying work.
According to Saleena Sardar, a resident of Velachery who commutes daily to Tidel Park, the Highways should carry out some repair work on the side where the WRD is carrying out work. “Another thing that is necessary is additional lighting near the Taramani area. There are several wine shops and it is a bit scary to ride there at night,” she said.
Encroachments removed
Meanwhile, the Department on Saturday removed encroachments from the 3.65-km stretch on the side where work has been completed. “Shops and automobile workshops had encroached on footpaths rendering them unusable for pedestrians. Many shops had stocked sand, bricks and fire wood on the footpaths. This is the seventh time that encroachments on that road are being removed in the past 1.5 years,” said an official.
