Catering to lakhs of pedestrians and commuters, the Chennai Central station is one of the busiest junctions in the city. The landmark has now got a makeover with a pit stop, water fountains, pergolas and pedestrian pathways. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday, March 31 inaugurated the 'Central Square' -- a Rs 400 crore project aimed to make commuting easy for the public.
Here is a list of five things you need to know about the new and iconic Central Square.
1. Embellishment: The historic landmark has now got a huge makeover with beautiful trees, granite seats, open walking spaces for pedestrians with coloured lights placed along the footpaths, tensile canopy, pergolas, water fountains and greenery. The entire place has been beautified and revamped. People can now visit and enjoy the ambience.
2. Pit stop: A pedestrian plaza covered with pergolas and seating areas for thousands of passengers has been built. Commuters with heavy baggage, can now sit and relax on the seats watching the multi-coloured fountains.
Chennai Central Square has been inaugurated.. #Chennai #CMRL
— Chennai Updates (@UpdatesChennai) March 30, 2022
P.C : @srini091 , @SunithaSekar pic.twitter.com/kUC4Vibypn
3. Connecting point: The Central Square connects the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Ripon Building, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Chennai Central station, Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) station, Park sub-urban station, Poonamallee High Road stretch and the Central metro. The Central Square now offers easy access to all locations. Commuters who land at the Central station have many transport options including buses, metro trains, suburban trains and MRTS services.
4. Easy commute: Existing subway has been renovated, widened and links Central station with the RGGGH and Central metro station. The existing subway has also been connected with the newly built subway. Easy to access lifts and escalators, considering people's convenience, have been built. Walkways have been designed in such a way that people can reach different locations without any hassle.
5. Prospective features: Some features in the works include twin towers, multi-level underground parking, a museum showcasing MRTS's infrastructure with pictures and miniature machines, and making Central Square a multi-modal hub for easy access to all locations.
Glad to see this finally open for public: pic.twitter.com/eXHhj2kqwn
— Srini Swaminathan (@srini091) March 30, 2022