The oft associated image of T Nagar’s Pondy Bazaar as a chaotic shopping hub where pedestrians jostle with vendors and navigate signboards (of shops) placed on the already cramped space of the footpath is all about to change. With the construction of a dedicated Pedestrian Plaza as part of the Chennai Smart City mission, the entire stretch is to get a makeover.
The ambitious project aims to create a safe space for pedestrians and regulate traffic on Thyagaraya road. Apart from widening of the footpath, parking will also be revamped to a large extent. The completed pedestrian plaza is set to have seating areas, play elements for children, bike sharing and extensive green cover.
What are the various features designed as part of the plaza?
What changes can you expect after its completion?
This video will bring you details of all that is planned for the pedestrian plaza on Thyagaraya Road.
If the GCC can walk the talk, well, it will be great. But the GCC’s past records on the implementation and enforcement of its own rules are any guide, the pedestrian plaza will become a ‘parking plaza’. With vendors and hawkers competing with the existing commercial establishments to usurp the plaza, it will be plaza of different kind.
What you have said is correct already pondy bazaar police station used to park their vehicles in the newly built pavements in front of their station.
The reality will be footpaths occupied by hawkers,garbage 2 wheelers etc.,
Hope police is strict from day 1
When our police, Corporation officials and counsellors turn Nelson’s eye after being taken care of, how do you expect platforms to be available for pedestrians. The broad platforms will have shops/hawkers on either side fetching regular income to all these do called guardians of law at the cost of facilities meant for the pedestrians
Shops will slowly drop up as before.& after some years new shopping complex much bigger than presenr need to be constructed to accommodate occupants. The name itself pedestrian plaza for smart illegal occupants