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With more than 40 flyovers of all sizes and shapes, Chennai is truly a city of flyovers. But there is hardly anything to brag about if the condition of space under these urban overpasses are of any indication. They are a mess and an eyesore.
In the absence of any uniform policy involving various departments – the Greater Chennai Corporation, Highways, Railways and National Highways of India – most of these underspaces are home to encroachments, debris dumping, abandoned vehicles and homeless people. During nights, they are dark and unsafe, and dens for anti-socials.
A random visit by TOI to some of the under-passes, including those in Vadapalani, Velachery, Koyambedu, Basin Bridge and the city’s longest flyover at Medavakkam, confirmed the shoddy mainenance of the flyover under-spaces.
However, urban experts say these spaces can be turned into recreational spots and mini-lung spaces, besides being used as revenue streams if advertisements and parking are allowed.
The suggestions are neither farfetched nor without a parallel in the city itself. Currently, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is restoring four flyover under-spaces in Vadapalani, Padi, Retteri and Villivakkam at a cost of Rs 14 crore.
Urban designer S Babjee of VBN Landscape Design Studio, who is executing the project, said every flyover has its own context.
“In Velachery, it is more of a residential space around the flyover, and hence we focus on greenery, walking area and parks, whereas in Vadapalani it is commercial, we focus on spill-over crowd on the road and space for children like selfiearea, play area and waiting space for road-users,” he said.
Babjee added that illumination is important and residents would find using the flyover under-spaces easy if they are transparent. “These spaces should be accessible, illuminated, entry and exit points must be marked, and shade-loving plants must be placed,” he added.
As there’s no uniform policy to maintain flyover under-space as of now, GCC allots those slots to private persons. Amutha Krishnamurthy, an architect with GCC, said a uniform policy must be made on specifications, dimensions, colour, design and art. “Otherwise, in T Nagar, commercial complexes will restore them as per their whims, while on OMR, the information technology companies will maintain as per their wont. The city’s heritage, area’s history, and the local want of residents should be merged with beautification of underspaces,” she said.
GCC chief engineer S Rajendiran said they plan to allow parking beneath two-lane flyovers in less congested areas, while in four-lane flyovers, it could be used as recreational spots. “We plan to focus on IIT-Madras, LB road and Doveton flyovers underspace for parking. Secondly, we plan to green up more flyovers with shade-loving plants,” he said.
In the absence of any uniform policy involving various departments – the Greater Chennai Corporation, Highways, Railways and National Highways of India – most of these underspaces are home to encroachments, debris dumping, abandoned vehicles and homeless people. During nights, they are dark and unsafe, and dens for anti-socials.
A random visit by TOI to some of the under-passes, including those in Vadapalani, Velachery, Koyambedu, Basin Bridge and the city’s longest flyover at Medavakkam, confirmed the shoddy mainenance of the flyover under-spaces.
However, urban experts say these spaces can be turned into recreational spots and mini-lung spaces, besides being used as revenue streams if advertisements and parking are allowed.
The suggestions are neither farfetched nor without a parallel in the city itself. Currently, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is restoring four flyover under-spaces in Vadapalani, Padi, Retteri and Villivakkam at a cost of Rs 14 crore.
Urban designer S Babjee of VBN Landscape Design Studio, who is executing the project, said every flyover has its own context.
“In Velachery, it is more of a residential space around the flyover, and hence we focus on greenery, walking area and parks, whereas in Vadapalani it is commercial, we focus on spill-over crowd on the road and space for children like selfiearea, play area and waiting space for road-users,” he said.
Babjee added that illumination is important and residents would find using the flyover under-spaces easy if they are transparent. “These spaces should be accessible, illuminated, entry and exit points must be marked, and shade-loving plants must be placed,” he added.
As there’s no uniform policy to maintain flyover under-space as of now, GCC allots those slots to private persons. Amutha Krishnamurthy, an architect with GCC, said a uniform policy must be made on specifications, dimensions, colour, design and art. “Otherwise, in T Nagar, commercial complexes will restore them as per their whims, while on OMR, the information technology companies will maintain as per their wont. The city’s heritage, area’s history, and the local want of residents should be merged with beautification of underspaces,” she said.
GCC chief engineer S Rajendiran said they plan to allow parking beneath two-lane flyovers in less congested areas, while in four-lane flyovers, it could be used as recreational spots. “We plan to focus on IIT-Madras, LB road and Doveton flyovers underspace for parking. Secondly, we plan to green up more flyovers with shade-loving plants,” he said.
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