Murals based on Tamil culture beneath Madhya Kailash flyover to add to art on OMR

Even as the ‘L’ shaped ₹60.68 crore, 652-mt-long flyover at the Madhya Kailash junction is nearing completion, the space beneath is getting landscaped with murals, plants, pathways, seating arrangements, and lighting. 

Artist P. Justin and his team have been working day and night to finish the 20 murals including those of musical instruments like the Yaazh, Veenai, mridangam, and figures of Jallikattu, Therukoothu, Oyilattam, and Karagattam. 

The murals made with a mixture of cement, lime and marble dust, are coming up on seven ft tall and four ft wide walls built with wire cut bricks that have a neat finish. The walls have been placed in such a manner that motorists coming from both directions can see one side. 

“The mix used in the figurines will ensure they don’t develop cracks and last long. We now have to give a rough stone finish and top that off with colour that will give an antique look,” said Mr. Justin. 

Sources in the Highways Department said that the murals were chosen from the arts – literature, music, and theatre (Iyal, Isai, Natakam) reflecting Tamil culture. 

These will add another touch of art to OMR that already has a lot of wall art like on the facades of MRTS stations, the pillars of the elevated tracks that also form part of the parks formed by the Greater Chennai Corporation, and compound walls of the various institutions on the other side. 

Meanwhile, the civil work on the flyover has been completed and painting, marking of the road, installation of signs are underway. The flyover will allow motorists heading from Sardar Patel Road to the IT Corridor to take a right turn without waiting for the signal. Estimates have shown that 60% of the traffic at that junction turn onto OMR.