TIRUCHY: Even as the corporation recently submitted the detailed project report (DPR) for a food street, concerns have risen over the status of the civic body’s 'art street' project which also was announced around the same time as the former.
Clarifying that the plan for showcasing the work of traditional artisans is still under consideration, officials said the 80 Feet Road in Thillai Nagar is now in the project venue shortlist. "The food street and art street projects were announced at the beginning of the year.
When we came to know about them from media reports, we assumed that both projects would be launched this year. We hope that the corporation will soon take up the art street project as they have completed the DPR for the food street," N Ramesh, a tour operator said.
Meanwhile, a source said underground drainage (UGD) and related civic works caused the Food Street project to be shelved. "We discovered early itself that we cannot implement the art street project like that of the food street due to various reasons, particularly space constraints. A few artisans also voiced concerns over attracting business through such a plan.
We hence made the decision to put the project on hold," the source added. Clarifying the project, a senior corporation official said, "The project's primary goal is to provide a space for traditional artisans and artists to exhibit their work. They can also sell their artwork.
For this project, we are currently considering the 80 Feet Road in Thillai Nagar. Taking into account opinions from various quarters, our plan is to allocate specific time in a day for artists to showcase their works beside the road. It may be two hours on a Sunday morning.
We think residents also would support such a move. Further, it is a wide road in a prime location, and the implementation of the project would not cause inconvenience to residents or commuters. If all goes well, we will implement the project next year."