CHENNAI: After Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) announced a plan to invest Rs 1,000 crore to develop north Chennai over the next three years, Minister P K Sekarbabu has started reviewing projects announced in the Assembly.
North Chennai, the origin of the city where East India Company set up its base, has been left out of the city’s growth story due to heavy congestion and pollution. During the Assembly session, the minister made 50 announcements, which are part of the initiative to develop north Chennai.
These include upgrading and modernising MTC bus stands, constructing and renovating playgrounds and parks, constructing additional school buildings in corporation schools, constructing community halls and renovating ‘dhobi khanas.’
On Monday, Sekarbabu inspected the marketplace on Kolathur Paper Mills Road, which will be reconstructed as a modern market at a cost of Rs 10 crore. He also inspected a football ground on Srinivasan Street in Madhavaram constituency, which ill be renovated at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore.
The corporation middle school at Mahalakshmi Nagar in Puzhal was inaugurated on April 24, 1967 when DMK founder CN Annadurai was chief minister. The school is functioning with limited facilities, and plans have been drawn to renovate it and construct a new complex with basic facilities.
Other projects include building separate fish and meat shops apart from vegetable and fruit shops with all facilities at Ennore market in Thiruvottiyur constituency at a cost of Rs 5 crore. It will also have a separate community hall. About 5-km-long beach from Parvathi Nagar to Kasimedu will be beautified at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
Mayor R Priya, North Chennai MP Dr Kalanithi Veerasamy, and principal secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department Selvi Apoorva were present during the inspection. The development of north Chennai also comes at a time when CMDA plans to develop Minjur satellite town. Experts believe the development of Minjur as a satellite town will be a boon to economically weaker sections and lower middle class, who will be able to get structured housing since north Chennai lacks planned development.