The Buckingham Canal along the Kasturba Nagar-Thiruvanmiyur stretch of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is set to become an urban green plaza, similar to the T. Nagar pedestrian plaza.
For years, the canal along this stretch has remained neglected with the growth of wild bushes, and the dumping of garbage and construction debris. Once the work is completed, the stretch, which runs parallel to the Information Technology Expressway, will become a green zone with several amenities for Adyar residents.
L. Nandakumar, Chief Engineer (General), Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), said the civic body had started beautification of both the sides of the canal under the elevated section of the MRTS to a length of over 2 km.
It had received a no-objection certificate from the Water Resources Department for the project costing ₹20 crore.
According to officials, the urban plaza will house a Miyawaki forest, a 4 m-wide shared pathway and cycle track, an open air theatre, a children’s park, and divider islands linking both sides of the canal. The divider islands will have benches, street lights and model public conveniences. Over 40,000 saplings will be planted along the stretch.
Two-phase execution
Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash said the project was being executed in two components on the eastern and western sides of the canal. “The project is expected to be completed by April... The work of clearing and levelling the site began more than a week ago.”
Poor maintenance of the space along the canal and the presence of prominent institutions on the one side and the MRTS station on the other made the project imperative, Mr. Prakash said.
