CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is looking to create a city of fountains, having already set up 26 fountains across the city at an estimated cost of Rs 1.29 crore, as part of ‘Singara Chennai 2.0’. More fountains are in the pipeline, according to corporation officials.
Bigger fountains with a diameter of 10-12 feet have come up at Haddows Road, GNT Road roundtana, Montieth Road and others have smaller diameters of 8-10 feet. The fountains are lit up at night with submersible LED lights. Annual maintenance contracts for these fountains are awarded at the zonal level.
Officials said they are receiving good feedback from the public and other junctions in the city are being inspected to set up water fountains, led by Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi. Each of these fountains is constructed and set up at a cost ranging from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. “It is eye-catching and the feedback has been positive from all quarters. We are looking to set up more under other schemes like ‘Namakku Naame,” said a corporation official.
The initiative has been taken up along with greening city spaces including medians and creating roadside parks. Zonal officials have also been asked to identify and plant saplings in ten streets every fortnight in their respective zones. This includes croutons and wherever possible, trees.
Challenges
The new initiative, however, comes with a host of challenges. Only recently, the corporation had to seek police intervention to stop a few people from taking a bath under the fountain in Egmore. It is also open to vandalism, said officials.
Officials are discussing setting up CCTV cameras to deter vandalism and are also ensuring larger nozzles are installed to keep the projectile motion on track even as residues develop within the nozzles over time. Officials are to also make sure water is changed weekly.
Positive response
The feedback has been positive and we are inspecting more spots in the city to set up water fountains under other schemes like ‘Namakku Naame, said a corporation official. The initiative has been taken up along with greening city spaces including medians and creating roadside parks.