Vehicles to be banned around Chennai's Mylapore temple

CHENNAI: It may not be as radical as a ban on motor vehicles or pedestrian-only zones, but corporation of Chennai has a plan that could decongest Mylapore and make it a walker-friendly neighbourhood.
The civic body has selected a firm from among six private bidders to help it implement its proposal to limit motor vehicles and create better pedestrian facilities in Mylapore. The corporation plans to get going on the 5.5-crore project in June and complete it within six months.
T Nagar, which the corporation also planned to make pedestrian-friendly, will however have to wait a while longer. Traders in the city’s commercial nerve centre, fearing a dip in patronage, have opposed the World Bank-funded project. They say it will make the movement of goods to outlets in the locality impossible.
Plans for Mylapore include making north and south Mada streets one-way stretches. East Mada Street and R K Mutt Road will continue to have two-way traffic. “North and south Mada streets will get wider pavements. We can’t completely bar vehicles but we will not allow motorists on narrow streets around Kapaleeswarar Temple,” a corporation official said.
Wider pavements, calmer surroundings and a less noisy traffic; people heading to the Kapaleeswarar Temple chatting or strolling leisurely till the San Thome Basilica... the old-world Mylapore in modern-day Chennai could be recreated if the corporation implements an ambitious pedestrian-friendly project.
More space for pedestrians could encourage tourists to walk and explore the Kapaleeswarar Temple, San Thome Basilica, Ramakrishna Math, Nageswara Rao Park, Thiruvalluvar Temple, Marina beach and the Lighthouse in the vicinity .
Corporation officials say the `5.5 crore project near the temple tank is part of initiatives planned to encourage those who prefer to walk. The civic body will also float a tender for a `central promenade', a dedicated space on the median for pedes trians to soak in the Mylapore charm on Luz Church Road.
Sridhar Venkataraman, who launched an online petition demanding more space for pedestrians in Mylapore, said the success of the project depends on how the civic body implemented it. “There should be better coordination among various government agencies. They should consult residents, hawkers and commercial establishments. People are forced to walk on roads because of encroachments and unauthorised parking,“ said Venkataraman.
Experts say these initiatives would not only regulate traffic and improve the tourist experience but also restore the magic of Mylapore. Chennai programme coordinator of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy Advait Jani, who is working on the Mylapore project with the corporation, said designated parking lots will prevent traffic congestion.
For T Nagar, some 5km away and more congested, a similar initiative is being mulled. The civic body has decided to make Thyagaraya Road from the intersection of North Boag Road to Panagal Park free from traffic by allowing only pedestrians, a few MTC buses and battery-powered vehicles.While cars can be parked around Dr Nair Road, pedestrians will have the Residency Towers-Dr Nair Road stretch to themselves.
But traders have cried foul. “T Nagar will lose its relevance if they are going to ban vehicles. It's also unsafe to move the cash from our shops without a vehicle at night. How will we take goods from godowns to our shops?“ asked a trader.
Corporation officials say they have appointed a consultant to survey the opinions of traders and residents for the project.