Island Grounds urban square to be open by Feb 2025: Minister Sekarbabu

CHENNAI: Minister and CMDA chairman PK Sekarbabu announced on Saturday that the urban square works at Island Grounds will be completed by February 2025 and open to the public.

After inspecting the construction works on Saturday, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority chairman said, "The works are being carried out in full fledge. The urban square will have a floor space of 1.60 lakh sqft with 40 shops and parking space for 200 two-wheelers and 200 cars. The structure will have 90 toilets, including toilets for transpersons. Once completed, the urban square will have 40 stalls of 1,000 sqft."

The urban square will also have an exhibition hall of 20,000 sqft and a restaurant of 20,000 sqft.

The project, implemented by the CMDA, is being carried out under North Chennai Valarchi Thittam (NCVT) for Rs 104 crore on 3.10 acre of land.

Sekarbabu added that various departments are implementing projects worth Rs 6,000 crore in North Chennai under NCVT.

Commenting on BJP state president K Annamalai flogging himself, Sekarbabu said that the whip used by Annamalai was not made of coconut coir or leather. "The whip was made using cotton. The incident is just a publicity attempt. Annamalai will not wear footwear in his lifetime as the Dravidian Model government will continue for years," he added.