Corporation’s trial run of pedestrian plaza strikes a chord with public

“On a balmy Sunday morning, the usually busy Thyagaraya Road wore a pleasantly deserted look, as barricades cordoned off the sidewalks for pedestrians and only buses and two-wheelers were allowed to ply on this road. School children were engaged in painting their take on Smart City, guided by their teachers, while a little ahead, enthusiastic volunteers from city colleges conducted a larger-than-life version of the popular children’s game ‘snakes and ladders’ using a makeshift board on the road. 

At the end of the road, a folk dancer performed karakattam , keeping in tune with drummers while another artist added the notes of the nadaswaram to the heady medley. A group of mesmerised school students gathered to watch the performance. Residents had come in large numbers to enjoy a lazy Sunday, strolling on the sidewalks and enjoying the spectacle. Preeti K, a 36-year-old homemaker, felt that motorcycles too should be prohibited. 

“This lane should be only for pedestrians and maybe cyclists. If this is a regular feature, it would be great if seating arrangements were made to accommodate elderly persons. But what I really appreciated was the flash mobs and the folk performances. Youngsters these days have no idea about our folk-art forms and platforms like this are important to propagate our culture among the next generation,” she said. 

School teachers were busy supervising their wards, who were engrossed in painting their vision for the future. Carmel Mary, Additional Education Officer, said the art competition was a way to create awareness among the public, through students. “These children will go and tell their parents and maybe, even correct them. We wanted to spread the idea that Smart City needs smart citizens and that’s what they should aspire to be,” she said. Pooja S, a Class 4 student from a public school, said, “There is so much pollution today and people too don’t follow rules. We need to work together for a better tomorrow,” she said. 

The Corporation also organised a health drive, where awareness was created on the benefits of traditional grains. A Corporation official said that dishes like kuzhipaniyaram, vadai, kozhukattai and other delicacies, made from millets were being served to the people. A health camp was also organised, which saw close to 500 people availing of the service. 

“Apart from the check-up, we also created awareness on dengue prevention,” said another official from the health department. It was a memorable day for NCC cadets from Chennai Public School, Saidapet. Hepsibah S, NCC Coordinator, said, “The girls were thrilled to assist the traffic police with security arrangements.” However, the event was not a hit with shopkeepers, who claimed that they were not given proper information. “While I really appreciate this initiative, I wish that we were informed in advance,” said Parthasarathy BN, who runs a store  on this road.