The vast open space below the clove-shaped flyover — at the intersection of Chennai Bypass and Poonamallee High (PH) Road at Maduravoyal junction — will no longer be used by government agencies to store concrete slabs. The space is turning green.
For the last few weeks, civic workers of the State Highways, which maintains the flyover and the stretch below, have been planting saplings, bought from the Forest department.
Drought resistant species like Ixora, Clerodendron, Pisonia, Nerium that need less water, are being tried. To prevent stray cattle from eating the plants, hundreds of steel fences were also brought to provide shield to the young plants.
The saplings will be watered regularly and trimmed to ensure it does not affect traffic movement that could lead to accidents. A few staff have also been deployed to keep an eye on the steel fencing and the saplings.
According to Highways officials, the saplings need to be guarded with fencing for at least a year.
“Saplings have also been planted on both sides of the carriageway of the Chennai Bypass from Vandalur to Puzhal,” said a State Highways official.
As the junction at Maduravoyal, near the flyover, witness vehicles flow round the clock, we decided to convert the open space beneath the flyover into a lung space, added the official.
