CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation has floated tenders to beautify the underpass of the Koyambedu flyover, opposite the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT), at a cost of Rs 1.23 crore. The project includes the installation of five statues and greening of the area beneath the flyover.
A corporation official told TNIE that the beautification work had begun over a year ago but was abandoned midway. “The space was later used by residents and commuters visiting CMBT, resulting in accumulated garbage. To prevent this, we recently installed a grill under the flyover. Now, we plan to resume the beautification work,” the official said.
The project will involve planting around 10 varieties of plants, including spider lilies and money plants, along with lighting and watering arrangements, the official said. Cultural-themed paintings depicting Bharatanatyam, jallikattu, and other elements of Tamil heritage are also planned.
As per the tender documents, the cost of installing five statues — a lion, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros and a horse — will cost Rs 83 lakh. However, when TNIE inquired about the size and material of the statues, officials stated that, despite the estimated cost being mentioned in the tender, these specifications are yet to be finalised.
Notably, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority had recently initiated the development of an eco-park near the roundabout at the old Koyambedu flyover.