Thanks to last week’s rain, one of the city’s oldest
landmarks – the twin ornamental arches in Anna Nagar – was given a
reprieve of a few more days.
But this weekend, the arches will make way for two flyovers that are coming up at the junction at a cost of Rs. 117 crore.
Residents
who are used to using the structures as guideposts on their regular
route home, are bound to miss their bus stops if they aren’t careful.
When the arch is pulled down by the Highways Department, many bus
passengers will only find a void there.
“When the
work began and they cut down the huge tress at the junction, we missed
them. Now it is the turn of the arch to go,” said K. Vanya, who changes
buses at the Arch bus stop.
Using diamond cutters
and two cranes, the contractor will start from the top and remove
portions of the arch. “We had planned to demolish the structure last
week, but the rains delayed us. The police have now permitted us to
carry out the work on Saturday and Sunday nights. This is the first time
we are attempting something like this,” said an source in the
department.
The arch was constructed by the Madras
Corporation at a cost of Rs. 12 lakh to commemorate the platinum jubilee
of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai. It was inaugurated on January
1, 1986, by the then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.
It
is 57-feet high and was checked for structural stability in order to
withstand cyclones. The arches were designed by Ganapathy Sthapathi and
completed in a span of just 105 days.
The Highways
Department has taken steps to make an exact replica of the arches and
will install them on 3 Avenue near the bridge over the Cooum River. “The
arch is made of cement and is called sudhai. We have taken photographs
from every possible angle and have even asked the Corporation for design
drawings. We have also spoken to the contractor who constructed it. The
new arches will be designed in such a way that they withstand
earthquakes too, as Chennai is in seismic zone 3 now,” said an official.
Courtesy: www.thehindu.com
