The Times of India 12.03.2013
Crowded areas of Chennai to get pedestrian-only zones
CHENNAI: Chennai may soon
have its own Times Square or Covent Garden — pedestrian areas in which
motor vehicle movement is restricted.
Shopping in T Nagar or taking a walk around the Kapaleswarar temple in Mylapore is likely to be peaceful as the corporation plans to allow only cycles and pedestrians in parts of these crowded areas. Wallajah Road and Sivananda Salai are the other places likely to have restricted vehicle movement.
"Pedestrians have been ignored while making plans for development of the city. Pedestrian and cycle-only zones will give them safe spaces,"said Chennai mayor Saidai Duraisamy, while announcing the proposal in the corporation budget for 2013-14 on Monday.
The other often ignored lot — cyclists — also have something to cheer about. The corporation plans to introduce a bicycle-sharing programme this year like the ones in London and Paris.
Cycles will be kept at bus stops, railway stations and corporation offices on a 7km stretch along the Marina. People can pay a user fee to take the cycle from one place to another. The cycles will be a feeder service for the mass rapid transport system.
To make roads safer for cyclists, the corporation has proposed a cycle track from Fort Station to Foreshore Estate. "Cycles are one of the most eco-friendly means of transport. But we pay less attention to cyclists when we build our infrastructure,"said a corporation official.
Shreya Gadepalli, regional director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, calls it a great initiative. "Cycle sharing is spreading like wild fire in many countries including China. Paris has 20,000 cycles, London about 5,000. Chinese cities such as Hangzhou and Guangzhou have about 50,000 and 6,000 respectively. If it can work there, it can work here,"she said. Bangalore and Pune have tried the system.
Officials haven't yet worked out the cost or the number cycles required, but experts say 7km would require at least 1,500 cycles. "We need a cycle station every 300m,"said Gadepalli.
Officials said they conducted feasibility studies and concept tests. "We are drawing up a detailed final plan. We know that we will collect refundable deposits from people to maintain the cycles and prevent loss,"said a senior corporation official.
Shopping in T Nagar or taking a walk around the Kapaleswarar temple in Mylapore is likely to be peaceful as the corporation plans to allow only cycles and pedestrians in parts of these crowded areas. Wallajah Road and Sivananda Salai are the other places likely to have restricted vehicle movement.
"Pedestrians have been ignored while making plans for development of the city. Pedestrian and cycle-only zones will give them safe spaces,"said Chennai mayor Saidai Duraisamy, while announcing the proposal in the corporation budget for 2013-14 on Monday.
The other often ignored lot — cyclists — also have something to cheer about. The corporation plans to introduce a bicycle-sharing programme this year like the ones in London and Paris.
Cycles will be kept at bus stops, railway stations and corporation offices on a 7km stretch along the Marina. People can pay a user fee to take the cycle from one place to another. The cycles will be a feeder service for the mass rapid transport system.
To make roads safer for cyclists, the corporation has proposed a cycle track from Fort Station to Foreshore Estate. "Cycles are one of the most eco-friendly means of transport. But we pay less attention to cyclists when we build our infrastructure,"said a corporation official.
Shreya Gadepalli, regional director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, calls it a great initiative. "Cycle sharing is spreading like wild fire in many countries including China. Paris has 20,000 cycles, London about 5,000. Chinese cities such as Hangzhou and Guangzhou have about 50,000 and 6,000 respectively. If it can work there, it can work here,"she said. Bangalore and Pune have tried the system.
Officials haven't yet worked out the cost or the number cycles required, but experts say 7km would require at least 1,500 cycles. "We need a cycle station every 300m,"said Gadepalli.
Officials said they conducted feasibility studies and concept tests. "We are drawing up a detailed final plan. We know that we will collect refundable deposits from people to maintain the cycles and prevent loss,"said a senior corporation official.
