5 more roads to get pedestrian-friendly makeover in city

Six pedestrian-priority projects, including KNK Road pedestrian plaza, to cost nearly ₹150 crore under the World Bank-Chennai City Partnership

With the pedestrian plaza on Khader Nawaz Khan (KNK) Road inaugurated, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is now focusing on five more pedestrian-priority projects.

All six projects, including the KNK Road pedestrian plaza, will cost up to ₹150 crore under the World Bank-Chennai City Partnership.

A foundation stone was recently laid for the pedestrian plaza at Pulla Avenue in Anna Nagar Zone (VIII), and reconstruction of footpaths and utility ducts would be taken up shortly, said a local authority.

More than 50% of works on Monegar Choultry (MC) Road in Royapuram Zone, Race Course Road in Adyar Zone, and Thiruvottiyur High Road-Arunachaleswarar Koil Street in Tondiarpet Zone, under the ‘Complete Streets Programme’, have been completed.

Ongoing works

On the MC Road, the installation of utilities is nearly complete, and cobblestone laying for the carriageway is in progress, said a civic official.

Further, groundwork on Shastri Nagar 1^st Avenue and Racecourse Link Road in Adyar has just begun and is expected to be completed by mid-2027, the official added.

Rise in land value

Within two years of pedestrianisation, T. Nagar has seen a 15%-20% increase in commercial sales and up to a 20% rise in land values. These trends are anticipated on KNK Road in Teynampet Zone, as reflected in shopfront improvements and the opening of new stores featuring prominent brands in the vicinity, according to an official document.

“Blockages in storm-water drains were cleared, improving water flow into the Nungambakkam Canal. These steps will likely prevent flooding on KNK Road during normal rainfall, addressing the problems seen during the 2023 floods,” said Shivani B., an associate in the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, an NGO partnered with the GCC for the projects.

Open-mall approach

“The redesign of KNK follows an open-mall approach, which would make people want to spend more time there. With wider footpaths and shaded seating, people can walk comfortably, sit, and relax, increasing the chances of them visiting nearby shops. This will benefit both the local economy and the community,” said A.V. Venugopal, programme manager, in the institute.