Corpn drafts street network plan to link 112 km of prime Chennai neighbourhoods

According to civic body data, 87 streets and some major roads have been proposed for the new designs in which aspects of pedestrian pavements and cycling would be given priority. “We will conduct site verification and talk to pedestrians and cyclists to understand their needs and concerns. Once the network plan and design are finalised, future upkeep and other works on selected streets will be done based on the plan,” the official added.

“We will engage technical consultants to prepare detailed designs for the selected mobility corridors within their allocated packages apart from preparing street network plan,” a Chennai Corporation official said. The civic body has segregated the project into six packages each for a specific locality. Tondiarpet, Thiruvottiyur and George Town areas are included in one package while Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam, Mylapore, Velachery and Adyar are made separate packages. All the six packages cover an area of 76.6 sqkm.

Some of the major roads that fall under the project are Anna Nagar Second and Third Avenue, New Avadi Road, Thiruvottiyur High Road, Cathedral Road, Dr DGS Dinakaran Salai, Race Course Road, LB Road, Sardar Patel Road and others. While the street design would concentrate on facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, the street network plan would concentrate on created greenways along water bodies, pedestrian-only streets, non-motorised and public transport-priority streets, shared streets and others.

The street design will also look into creating ducts on streets for carrying electric and Internet lines apart from gravity enabled stormwater drains and sewer lines. The plan will include creating safe intersections, parking bays and safe crossings.

The official clarified that the street network plan is following a recent meeting in which the Chennai Corporation had decided to prepare a non-motorised transport plan for the entire city in a phased manner. “We have invited suitable technical consultants to carry out the study and to prepare the street network plan and design,” the official said.