Mayor R. Priya presiding over the Greater Chennai Corporation Council meeting on Saturday. Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi and Deputy Mayor Magesh Kumar are seen. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Greater Chennai Corporation Council on Saturday passed 98 resolutions for various infrastructure projects, including the pedestrian plaza in Khadear Nawaz Khan Road in Nungambakkam and Monegar Choultry Road in Washermenpet.
The salient features of the project in Monegar Choultry Road include fully pedestrian street along 1 km from the junction of Cemetery Road to BSNL junction, architectural lighting, seating, planters, lighting bollards, grand entry arch, rider sewer lines, and landscaping at an estimated cost of ₹31.8 crore. The 650-metre-long premium shopping destination of Khader Nawaz Khan Road in Ward 111 will get a pedestrian plaza with parking facilities at an estimated cost of ₹22.4 crore.
The council passed resolution to construct bridges across Otteri Nullah connecting Aspiran Garden Second Street and Kilpauk Garden Road, across Adambakkam lake connecting Medavakkam Main Road and Jeevan Nagar Second Street, and Manali Road in lieu of the level- crossing 2B.
In 2018, the Aspiran Garden Residents Association had requested to widen the bridge near Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram and the PWD/WRD was asked to increase the height of the bridge to reduce inundation in residential areas.
In a bid to ease traffic congestion on Manali Road, the Corporation has constructed an alternative route along the Buckingham Canal at an estimated cost of ₹2 crore. Mayor R. Priya said the civic body has decided to construct two separate bridges instead of a T-shaped bridge in Manali Road.
The civic body approved the preparation of detailed project report for integrated solid waste management in Kodungaiyur on 275 acres and the waste to energy plant.
The council approved extension of the contract period for programme management consultant for smart corporation schools. The physical infrastructure for 28 schools will be completed by June 2023. A new gas-based crematorium will be built in Semmenchery in Sholinganallur zone. The civic body will procure submersible pumps for flood mitigation. The civic body and the TNPCB will commission air quality monitoring stations at five locations in the city.
Councillors at the meeting demanded that they need details about the contractors responsible for civic infrastructure projects in their wards to speed up the process and address civic issues in their localities.
A few councillors in wards along waterways stressed the need for information about the status of the projects, including tree planting along the waterways ahead of the northeast monsoon.
Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the work on planting of trees along the Cooum has been put on hold because of the elevated expressway from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal.
Following demands from councillors, civic officials will inspect Eliot’s beach on Monday to address civic issues.
Councillors said the residents were demanding action to assess properties that do not have land documents in various parts of the city. Mr. Bedi said the initiatives would be taken to assess property developed in “non water course.”
Mayor R. Priya announced that Vimala Karna (Ward 194), who won as an independent, has joined the DMK.
The AIADMK councillors walked out of the meeting, opposing the hike in property tax and power tariff.
Regarding the audit objection pertaining to advertisement tax on hoardings, the civic body said the data between 1998 and 2016 has not been maintained in Ripon Buildings owing to the licensing of hoardings by the Chennai Collectorate.
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Printable version | Jul 31, 2022 12:48:08 am | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-may-see-more-pedestrian-plaza-projects/article65703394.ece