Chennai’s next pedestrian plazas at KNK road, MC road

CHENNAI: Decks cleared to convert two Chennai roads into pedestrian plaza as the Greater Chennai Corporation invited bidders to start the civil works 2 years after the the project was first conceived.

Of the two roads - Khader Nawaz Khan Road (KNK Road) in Nungambakkam and MC Road in Old Washermenpet - the latter will become an open mall as the civic body proposes to stop vehicle movement completely on the road.

"There are alternate roads parallel to MC Road that can be used for traffic movement. Once completed, the MC Road will become an open mall and parking space," an official said.

As per the tender documents, MC Road pedestrian plaza will be created at Rs 23 crore and KNK Road pedestrian plaza will be created at Rs 15 crore. The project will be implemented under Mega Steet project.

Once completed, the MC Road and KNK Road pedestrian plaza would be the second and third pedestrian plaza in the Chennai after T Nagar.

The Chennai Corporation launched the Mega Street project and decided to redevelop the roads and streets in selected areas. During the first phase of the project, it was decided to take up roads in Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam, Mylapore, Velachery, Adyar, Tondiarpet, George Town and Thiruvottiyur but the initiative has hit a road block after the regime change.

Meanwhile, the civic body has also decided to revamp traffic rountana at Pantheon Road - Gandhi Irwin Bridge and Arunachalam Street junction in Egmore to make it safer. "Presently, the traffic island is smaller making the roads at the junction wider, which is dangerous to riders. The island will be expanded and safety features will be improved," another official said.