Concrete roads, sodium vapour lamps replaced with LED lights and special enclosure for saplings to grow. The four maada veedis around the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Temple have got an all-new look.
Residents say the mahasamprokshanam of the temple that opened on Friday is the reason for giving the streets a makeover. But corporation officials say the work was long due and they have only speed up the work before the D-day at the temple.
The work has won the appreciation of many residents. At Car Street, for instance, the gap between the road and the parking area of the house is laid with paver blocks to facilitate percolation of rain water. This is being replicated at three others streets – T.P Koil Street, Parthasarathy Street and Singarachari Street.
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Usually, the gap between the road and the driveway is not completed or the ramps leading to the house is badly broken, all which has been neatly done here, say residents.
A.V. Rangarajan, a resident of Peywalvar Koil Street, is happy that the encroachments outside the temple were removed. At least six shops were removed last week including the pay-and-use toilet maintained by SYMA. “The shops had hidden the view of the temple for long. I am glad they are removed. Now, everyone has easy access to the temple,” he says.
Many pointed that there are fewer cattle roaming in the streets.
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M.K. Prema says the priests who participate in the temple processions will be the happiest as all the four roads are of same height. “As most of them walk barefoot, the cement flooring will make it easy,” she says.
MGR Vasan, counselor of Ward 116, says work started only three months ago and the contractors were asked to complete the work before the festival begins at the temple.
Residents want temporary speed breakers to be placed on the roads and ‘no horn zone’ to be declared around the temple.