Riding on the success of the T. Nagar Pedestrian Plaza, Chennai Corporation plans 10 more such plazas in the city. As part of the project, the civic agency has identified 10 places includig Tondiarpet, Purasawalkam High Road, Anna Nagar 2nd Main Road, Thiruvanmiyur and Velachery Bypass Road.
“Based on the positive feedback received from the public, there is a plan to expand the pedestrian plaza project in the coming months. The Chief Minister was keen to replicate it in other places in the city,” said L. Nandakumar, Chief Engineer (Special Projects), Chennai Corporation.
The civic agency has already floated tenders for taking up the project at the Bypass Road in Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur. Though the Bypass Road belongs to the State Highways department, the project would be taken up after getting a ‘No Objection Certificate’, he said.
A group of postgraduate students of Loyola College have conducted a study of the T.Nagar pedestrian plaza for their Urban Economics paper in which they have come out with a mixed bag of reactions from the users.
R. Saritha, assistant professor, Loyola College, said the study by the students showed the pedestrian plaza has created a new shopping culture where the people of all age groups would be able to enjoy shopping. However, the study found that the civic agency needs to upgrade cleanliness in e-toilets, provide more toilets and improve last mile connectivity and parking facilities. The study cites the need for accommodating hawkers or small traders to reap the benefits of infrastructure development.
