While all main roads to be used by 1,000 delegates have been relaid, heritage buildings will be lit up at night
Chennai corporation has painted colourful zebra crossings on Wednesday opposite Chennai collectorate ahead of GIM. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: With exactly a week to go before the Global Investors Meet (GIM), the Chennai corporation is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure a smooth commute for GIM delegates.
Sixty roads have been re-laid, said officials. Though the work was completed as part of its 197 roads relaying package, the civic body had prioritised finishing these 60 roads as it would be leading to the Chennai Trade Centre (CTC), the venue of the meet.
Sardar Patel Road, TTK Road, Greams Road, Pantheon Road and East Coast Road among others will be properly maintained. On Sardar Patel Road, near Anna University, the corporation has even managed to paint an attractive looking zebra-crossing using bright yellow and white colours that makes it unique.
Referred to in official circles as ‘the corridor’, the corporation has re-laid roads in this corridor, as these are the ones that will take the delegates to and from the venue to their places of stay, which are some top class luxury hotels in the city.
Sources say rooms in more than 20 star hotels have been booked as the state expects to accommodate at least 1,000 foreign delegates and an equal, if not more, number of delegates from across the country.
Sources in the corporation spoke of a laser show on the Marina Beach which the industries department has asked it to conduct. The industries department, which is the co-ordinating agency for GIM, will be funding the show. “Heritage buildings in the city will also be lit up during the night to serve as attraction,” said an official. The road from Chennai airport to CTC is being spruced up by the state highways department. The battered portion of GST Road near the Officers’ Training Academy was relaid with a fresh coat of bitumen in an over-night operation by highways department last week. The department has also relaid the portion of Mount-Poonamallee high road from Butt road until a little past the meeting venue.
The Chennai metro rail too is painting its rusty work site steel barricades with a fresh coat of green. CMRL has indulged workers to remove debris and garbage accumulated at its sites as per the state’s instructions.
Corporation officials said defacing of public property, by way of sticking wall posters, would attract severe action, as the city police will be booking the offenders under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.
Conservancy and sanitary operations by the corporation have also been intensified. Mechanical sweepers have been pressed into action to wipe the dust off the roads. Stormwater drains have been de-silted in the corridor and proper sign boards are coming up as well.Even the St Thomas Mount Cantonment Board is speeding up its footpath and storm water drain work on Mount-Poonamallee high road near the Kathipara grade separator. Workers were spotted toiling in the dead of the night with minimal lighting on Tuesday. The state is spending Rs 100 crore on the two-day mega convention.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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