Chennai, August 7:
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to invest Rs 500 crore in civic infrastructure projects, with priority being given to underserved neighbourhoods in north Chennai and resettlement colonies in the southern parts of the city.
The projects, planned under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM), will cover road improvements, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, smart parking facilities, parks, playgrounds and other public amenities.
GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the Corporation was focusing on economically and socially underserved areas where roads and basic infrastructure required significant improvement. Ennore, Manali, Tiruvottiyur, Perambur and Vyasarpadi in north Chennai and Kannagi Nagar and Ezhil Nagar in the south are among the priority areas.
Of the Rs 500 crore earmarked for the initiative, around Rs 350 crore will be spent on new projects during the current financial year, while the remaining Rs 150 crore is expected to be utilised next year.
Several projects earlier undertaken under Singara Chennai 2.0 will now be implemented through CMIUDM. These include upgrading roads and footpaths, modernising parks and playgrounds and improving school buildings.
The Corporation’s decision to spread investment across several neighbourhoods comes amid financial constraints affecting major flyover projects. A proposed three-km flyover from Velachery Bypass Road to Guru Nanak College Junction, estimated at Rs 310 crore, has been partially put on hold.
Sameeran said spending more than Rs 300 crore on a single flyover could restrict the Corporation’s ability to address infrastructure gaps in other parts of the city.
GCC is also planning pedestrian-friendly streets featuring dedicated footpaths, cycling tracks, redesigned junctions and improved connectivity.
Twenty smart parking facilities are proposed across Chennai, while infrastructure improvements are also planned in the Ambattur and Guindy industrial estates. Following a smart parking pilot in Anna Nagar, similar facilities are being considered for Adyar, Tiruvottiyur and Thyagaraya Nagar.
