Walking along MC Road from the Cemetery Junction in Washermanpet has become a daily struggle for pedestrians. Two-wheelers encroaching on footpaths, constant honking, and dug-up stretches force people, including children, to navigate open holes. Local residents say the inconvenience stems from a Greater Chennai Corporation pedestrian plaza project that has been stalled for the past three years.

Monegar Choultry Road (MC Road) is a bustling market street in North Chennai, home to shops, manufacturing units, enterprises, and street vendors. The section undergoing plaza construction stretches 1,000 meters, from Cemetery Road Junction to BSNL Junction. The project is valued at ?27.3 crore under the World Bank-funded Chennai City Partnership.

Planned upgrades for the area include artistic lighting, signage, entry nodes, safe crossings, pickup and drop-off bays, an entry arch, a children’s play area, and cobblestone walls along the 3-meter footpath on both sides of the road.

“It’s taking time because of the deep sewer and stormwater drain work. About 60% of both are completed. Once the underground work is finished, the plaza will be ready in six months,” said a site engineer with the Greater Chennai Corporation.

Despite the ongoing construction and two-way traffic amidst a sea of parked bikes, commuters face huge difficulties navigating the area. “We’ve allocated parking space behind the area, but people refuse to use it,” said an executive engineer with GCC.

“The parking space is 1 km away from my shop. How can I park my vehicle there?” questioned a shop owner near the BSNL junction.

Adding to the chaos, a large excavator navigates the narrow stretch on MC Road, causing further concern. “I was so scared when I saw it coming through,” said a local. 

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