Work to beautify the space beneath the Anna flyover, including landscaping and lighting, will be taken up shortly.
The Periyar statue, in one of the islands in the space, would be lifted up to give it a better visibility as part of the work to be taken up at a cost of ₹8.5 crore.
“The height of the pedestal of the statue is being increased so that it is visible. At present, the greenery around it is blocking the view,” said an official in the Highways Department.
The Anna flyover or Gemini flyover on Anna Salai is the city’s oldest flyover and has several statues and enclosed spaces beneath it. The walls around these spaces too would be pulled down as part of the beautification. A walkway would be formed using paver blocks under the present contract. The work is expected to be completed in three months.
G. Ramakrishnan, a resident of Besant Nagar, who commutes to Greams Road daily, welcomed the idea. “Right now, it is covered by all kinds of plants and trees. This flyover is right in the heart of the city and ought to be beautified. Some sort of seating arrangement can be provided there since many people visit the nearby U.S. Consulate and have nowhere to even stand,“ he said.
Dhanapal, who travels to Nungambakkam regularly, said the red and white rubber bollards should be changed and flyover painted as part of the work. It should have paintings or murals reflecting the growth of the city over the centuries, he said.
The Highways Department, however, has plans to use the space to highlight the Dravidian movement at a cost of ₹2.5 crore.
