Adding a splash of colour to the skyline over Poonamallee High Road, the Anna Arch is sporting a new coat of paint. This is the final leg of the restoration work being done on the landmark that was slated to come down earlier this year to make way for a flyover in the area.
The twin arches, which were a plain cream with dark green lettering before, will now incorporate six colours; the lettering will remain the same, while the dome-shaped decorations on top will be in red. Different shades of ivory and pink will also be used, while the leaves will be of a lighter green. The arch, which was damaged during attempts to bring it down, has been completely painted and the steel cribs were being removed on Sunday night. Men continued the fast pace of work to finish painting the other arch.
The 57-foot-tall arch will also be lit up with light blue and yellow focus lights at a cost of Rs 2 lakh, said sources at the Highways department. “We have spent close to Rs 60 lakh on the restoration work. All the external damage has been repaired, from the chipped plaster to the work done by Ganapati Sthapati. We have replaced the iron rods damaged during the demolition operations. They were also reinforced using concrete,” the source said, listing the work that went into the intense restoration of the landmark that was inaugurated by then CM M G Ramachandran in 1986.
Even the pedestal of Anna’s statue was slightly damaged during the work and will be repaired, added the source.
The twin arches were to be removed on September 3 to make way for a flyover at the EVR High Road-Anna Nagar Third Avenue junction, but the officials could not take the structure apart.
On learning about the attempts to remove the structure, the Chief Minister announced on September 5 that it would not be removed but the alignment of the flyover would be shifted slightly towards the eastern side so as not to disturb the arches.
The restoration work began on September 26 and the work was scheduled to be completed in 120 days.