Vellore traffic islands to get a facelift

It has been more than a year since the Vellore Corporation announced a project to beautify traffic circles in the city.  However, traffic islands in Vellore still wear a pathetic look as they have turned into sites for dumping garbage and a haven for beggars and tipplers.

Within a few months of assuming charge, Vellore Mayor P Karthiyayini announced a project to beautify traffic islands within the Corporation limits.

Twelve traffic islands on main roads were identified and a proposal was prepared for the project of an estimated cost of Rs 33.50 lakh for 2012-2013.

The identified locations included two traffic circles opposite the Vellore Collector’s  office in Sathuvachari, one each at the Old Bypass Road, Katpadi Road, Makhan Junction, Fort Round,

Konavattam, Silk Mill Stop, Kalyanamandapam Road, Odai Pillayar Koil Stop, National Junction at Palar Road and the National Junction towards Chennai.

Town Planning Officer M Kannan said, “The project was prepared under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, where private parties would carry out the work, maintain it for a certain period and hand over the property to the local body. The local body had approached various banks, private educational institutions and hospitals to carry out the project. However, there was no response from them.”

He said the project has been revived for the year 2013-2014 and a revised estimate was being prepared with a plan to include traffic circles at important junctions, in the first phase.

Officials said beautifying the traffic islands included construction of fountains, stainless steel grill works, growing grass and flowering plants, lighting at nights, besides advertisement display boards.

The idea behind the project is not only to maintain the traffic islands on the National Highways and keep them neat and clean,  but also to give due publicity to the private firm that maintains them, the officials added.

The private party that takes up the contract would maintain that particular traffic island for a year and hand it over to the local body or would get its contract period extended.

The officials said a private concern had agreed to take up the contract for beautifying the two traffic islands opposite the Vellore Collector’s office. An official announcement would be made soon in this regard.