THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The redevelopment of the 400-year-old Chalai Heritage Market in the capital is gaining pace. A meeting chaired by the district collector the other day decided to expedite the procedures to ensure the timely completion of the project taken up by Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL).
According to official sources, efforts to upgrade eleven arterial roads inside the market into smart roads are fast progressing.
“The development of four roads inside the market is going on. We will be able to complete the road works by March-end. The three roads belong to the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) and the development work of these roads will also be taken up soon,” said an official source. As per the original scope of work of KRFB, besides the construction of drains, the plan was to resurface the three roads.
“There was pressure from the part of the stakeholders including traders and people’s representatives, and they wanted the roads to be smart. Hence we have decided to float separate tenders to redevelop the roads into smart ones,” said an official of KRFB. The official said that Kerala Rail Development Corporation (KRDC), the consultancy wing under K-Rail, is preparing the estimates.
“The work is in the finishing stages and they will submit the report soon. Once we receive the report, we will get technical sanction from the SCTL. We are hoping to complete the road work by May. It’s going to take time as utilities have to be shifted to the underground duct. Sewage lines are running underneath and new pipelines have to be laid,” said an official of KRFB. According to official sources, the redevelopment of three roads alone is estimated to cost around Rs22 crore.
The SCTL is planning to execute the development project in a phased manner and the authorities are planning for the ‘Umbrella Street’ project to make the streets of Chalai more charming so that more tourists flock to the ancient marketplace. Chalai ward councillor Simi Jyothish said that the road works are progressing. “It is a long-pending project and now the work is happening. But the approaching Attukal Pongala festival is an issue. We hope the authorities will repair the dug-up roads before the Pongala festival,” said Simi Jyothish.
The redevelopment project aims to improve road connectivity to the market with a major thrust on pedestrian-friendly amenities, well-organised parking facilities, and arches at entry and exit points. According to official sources, the main street will be dedicated strictly for pedestrian movement.
‘Umbrella Street’ project
The SCTL planning to execute the ‘Umbrella Street’ project to make Chalai more charming so that more tourists flock to the ancient marketplace