COIMBATORE: Architecture students from city-based colleges are currently involved in collecting public feedback on "Tactical Urbanism", a pedestrian-friendly project executed at Big Bazaar Street by the City Corporation, in association with GiZ, a German development agency.
Investing their semester holidays fruitfully, the students said they have been exercising the task, assigned by the corporation, for the past few days and added that it would help them gain a wider scope in terms of urban planning.
It might be recalled that the pilot project instantly became the talk of the town with many clicking pictures and capturing videos at the spot.
For a day's work, the students are provided food and a stipend amount of Rs 450 by the corporation.
Their task mandates them to be on the field for at least six hours and take count of pedestrians crossing the street, people using the footpath and bus commuters.
A blueprint of tactical urbanism project has also been displayed for the public. Passersby were briefed about the project by students.
Later, they were asked to choose the amenities that could be incorporated while initiating pedestrian-friendly corridors in other parts of the city.
The amenities include ornamental plants along roads, wall paintings, a separate zone for pedestrians and street vendors, etc.
RA Varshini, a final year BArch student from a city college said, "We took note of the pedestrian headcount at regular intervals. This includes people crossing the road and those using the footpath."
S Shankar, a second-year student said the task could help with the planning of his academic project.
Urban Transport Expert P Ranjith, said the task of collecting feedback would end by Tuesday and added that the report will be submitted to the corporation soon.
He added that the report would help them in the incorporation of similar amenities in other areas of the city. The feedback also lets the corporation know what the public wants, he said.