Chennai’s pedestrian plaza blueprint: on the two projects coming up at MC Road and Khader Nawaz Khan Road
The Hindu
A look at what’s being planned for the two new projects set to come up at the bustling hubs of Washermenpet and Nungambakkam
Last month, the Greater Chennai Corporation announced two new pedestrian plaza projects, at North Chennai’s M.C. Road and Nungambakkam’s Khader Nawaz Khan (KNK) Road. Part of the Chennai City Partnership, the new plazas — being built at a cost of approximately ₹40 crore — will be created on the lines of the pedestrian plaza at T. Nagar’s bustling Pondy Bazaar launched in late 2019. A collaborative effort between Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Smart City Limited, Oasis Designs Inc, and the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), the projects aim to transform the selected streets in these neighbourhoods along three guiding principles: seamless mobility for all, whether pedestrians, cyclists, women, children, elderly, or differently-abled; enhancing liveability with measures such as outdoor seating and play areas; and long-lasting urban infrastructure.Forest Department’s afforestation plans go awry as A.P. govt. fails to release CAMPA funds in time. The department has not been able to implement its Annual Plan Operation since 2018-19 despite the Union government releasing funds, and the interest accrued on unutilised funds now stands at ₹250 crore.
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