Chennai: With beautiful fountains, pergolas, landscaping and seating arrangements, Chennai’s own Central Square developed at a cost of Rs 400 crore was inaugurated by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday.
The Central Square has transformed the landscape around the iconic Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Chennai Central railway station, one of the busiest junctions in the city visited by lakhs of commuters every day.
Connecting Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Ripon Buildings, MRTS, suburban station, Chennai Central Railway Station, and Central Metro, the ‘Central Square’, was conceived as a multi-modal hub to provide easy access to all these locations.
For commuters who land at the railway station, many transport options including suburban trains, MRTS services, Metro trains and buses are available.
These transport hubs are now interconnected. Important buildings such as Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Victoria Hall and Ripon Buildings too are now linked with these subways.
Pathways making walking easier, pedestrian plaza with seating arrangements for commuters to rest and relax in between their journey, landscaping with greenery and fountains, revamped bus bays and subways are some of the important features of this ‘Central Square’.
A huge underground multi-level car parking is also coming up as part of this facility opposite the Central Metro station that can accommodate about 2,000 vehicles.
Chennai Metro Rail also plans to use a building here as a museum to show commuters how this mass rapid transit took shape and showcase it with pictures and miniature machines.
There are covered pergolas too which has been built for providing shade during summer. After sometime, we will have creepers over the pergolas, an official said.
Subways have been renovated, widened and they link Central station with the RGGGH and Central Metro Rail station and have lifts and escalators.