CHENNAI: When you walking into the Chennai Airport you may come across several locations where work is in progress — not for correcting some unlucky mishap that the accident-prone airport has been subjected to — but for a project which will have artistic embellishments, sculptures and wall mountings adorning it. Poompuhar, the handicrafts development corporation, has ventured into large-scale beautification projects and the Corporation’s Ripon Building and the Chennai Port Trust are likely to be next.
According to sources, the project that the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar) has embarked upon and is half way through at the Chennai Airport is only the first of an initiative. Under the initiative, Poompuhar will beautify some prominent city buildings and locations. One of which is the Corporation’s Ripon building, which is already going through a renovation. CE has learnt that the iconic city location will likely be the next to feel the brushes and chisels of Poompuhar’s artisans.
“We have already submitted design proposals and discussions are on. They have gotten back to us with feedback and negotiations will start soon,” said a source. The project cost for the beautification, both internal and external, is likely to be around `50 lakh. The Chennai airport project was for `4 crore and at around 10 locations within the airport. Another project in the pipeline is the Chennai Port Trust. Gate Ten, right opposite the War Memorial on the Beach Road, has long been an eyesore and Poompuhar might be the one that redeems it. Negotiations for that particular project is also on, said officials in the company.
Most exciting is the proposal that Poompuhar has submitted to beautify the stations of Chennai’s most recent pride — the Chennai Metro.
However, the project is only in the proposal stage and is yet to be approved. The decision, one way or the other, will be taken at the next board meeting.
These projects, while exciting, are only the tip of a larger drive that Poompuhar has turned its focus on.
“The institution is moving away from being just a vendor of crafts to other ventures. The initiative to take our abilities to external and interior design is only part of an expansion that it is mulling,” said the official.
“We are also proposing a similar work for non-government players and we have seen some interested parties,” the official added.
