Chennai: Residents of Mylapore, especially devotees who throng the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, have a cause to cheer. The Chennai corporation will soon relay footpath around the temple tank at an estimated cost of Rs5.65 crore. This is a part of a major footpath project planned across the city, officials said. The project will be jointly funded by the Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Fund through Metropolitan Infrastructure Development Fund Scheme which would contribute 50 per cent of the cost.
Another 40 per cent fund will be done by the Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund and the rest 10 per cent by the civic body. Officials said there was already a footpath surrounding the temple tank. But it was just two feet wide and could not be used by pedestrians. Under the new project, the pavement will be laid with rubber mould kerb stones, which are three times cheaper and more durable than granite that was being used now. Since the material was available in many shapes and designs, it would give an attractive and a fresh look to the temple tank. The stones were easy to fix in small bends. Repair works could be done easily.
Apart from the footpath around the temple tank, a pavement relaying project is planned from All India Radio to Swami Sivananda Salai, a distance of 3.4 km, on the West side of the Kamarajar Salai, at a cost of about Rs 33.10 crore and from Kamarajar Salai Junction to Foreshore Estate on the Marina Loop Road at an estimated cost of Rs 47 crore. Here the footpath will be laid using granite, officials said. They added that while the other roads in the project will be done in the next six months, the footpath on the Marina Loop Road will take time, as a case was pending.
