In two weeks’ time, work to spruce up the Gemini flyover is set to begin.
Work orders have been issued to the contractor for the Rs. one crore-project that includes acrylic emulsion painting, renewing of road surface and beautification of the park below the flyover.
An official in the highways department, which owns and maintains the city’s first flyover, said the structure’s grey colour would be retained.
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“All Highways flyovers are a standard bluish grey. However, the distemper paint will be replaced with an acrylic one so it lasts longer. It has been three years since the flyover was last painted,” he said. The work will be completed in two months.
The park will be restored and maintained by the Highways. Earlier, the flyover was lit up and the park was maintained by a private telecom major. But the contract came to an end a few years ago, and ever since, has been maintained by the Highways.
The flyover will be painted in two shades of grey so the dust and grime from the thousands of vehicles that ply on the flyover do not show.
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A former Highways official recalled a time when the flyover was an ivory shade for a long time after which it was painted pink and then the current grey.
The 500-metre-long flyover was inaugurated on July 1, 1975, and was built at a cost of Rs. 66 lakh in 21 months. The space beneath the flyover was used to store cement earlier and more recently, has been put to use to store other materials.
Last year, on June 27, an MTC bus on the Parry’s Corner-Vadapalani route (17 M) fell off the flyover ramp and tumbled onto Anna Salai.
Over 30 passengers were injured in the incident. The parapet that broke during the accident was repaired in three days’ time.