The Hindu 15.04.2013
Bridges to be sheathed in steel, covered in colour
A makeover has been proposed for bridges and flyovers in the city, which will soon be adorned with stainless steel railings and artwork.
The Chennai Corporation has begun a study on various options to improve the look of these crucial structures, to enhance the overall aesthetics of several localities. Bridges and flyovers in the city are likely to sport a new look with stainless steel railings and artwork. The Chennai Corporation has commenced a study on various options for improving aesthetics on such structures to boost the visual impact in the localities.
Stainless steel railings will come up on most of the 262 bridges and flyovers in the city, including the 65 high-level bridges and 13 grade-separators maintained by the Corporation.
Most of these are along major bus routes and the enhancements will be carried out based on opinions from traffic police personnel and traffic planners.
In addition to bridges and grade separators, the Corporation also maintains 31 box culverts, 81 slab culverts, 11 rail overbridges, 14 rail underbridges, six pedestrian subways, six causeways and 35 footbridges.
Such structures along key routes will also be covered in the beautification drive. Through this initiative, the civic body is expected to put in place a lasting solution to the inadequate maintenance of essential structures. At present, the routine maintenance of bridges is carried out by respective zonal offices and the Corporation’s bridges department looks after structural maintenance.
An earlier proposal by the civic body, made a few years ago, envisaged using colourful tiles to beautify subways and bridges.
Tiles were used on a pedestrian footpath along a bridge on Binny Road in 2009. Structures such as Parthasarathy Bridge in Mint, Nelson Manickam Road in Nungambakkam, and a pedestrian subway near Kannagi Statue on Kamarajar Salai also got a makeover a few years ago.
Additional lighting and stainless steel handrails were also provided to some of these structures then.
