After inaugurating the facility, Stalin, along with two ministers, K Ponmudy and E V Velu, took a walk on the bridge to get a glimpse of the new facility.

The Chennai Corporation had engaged Sydney-based Lighting Design Partnership (LDP) with its local collaborators, GA Architect India as consultant for the illumination work.

The key feature of the facility is the lighting under the bridge that creates a floating ink blue illusion with 464 special lamps. It has been designed in such a way that the bridge will appear to float in the darkness.

Built in 1869 across the Cooum River and named after the then British governor of Fort St George, Francis Napier, the narrow bridge was widened and converted into a concrete structure and thrown open for traffic in July 1943 by Arthur Hope who took over as Governor in 1940.

Mayor M Subramanian, Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni and Deputy Mayor R Sathyabama participated in the ceremony.