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On Saturday, work began on a INR  9.9 crore project to transform Harrington Road into a model stretch. Concrete roads, granite footpaths, ducts for electricity cables and greenery development are among the initiatives planned, and traffic diversions are already in place. Getting to this point though involved long hours, dozens of meetings, fundraising, and most of all, sheer persistence, said residents of the street.

“It started about a year-and-a-half ago. We wanted to make our street garbage-free and pedestrian-friendly. When we approached the Chennai Corporation, they were very interested and asked us to get back to them with a proposal and a road survey,” said a member of the Harrington Road Residents Association.

Next came the task of collecting money for the survey and design of the road, which cost about INR 10 lakh. Six months and many contributions later, the survey was done and the design ready. The residents took this to the Corporation and had it approved of. Funds were then sanctioned by the Corporation Council, and tenders called for. Then came coordinating with the traffic police to get diversions in place — most of the road is now a one-way with no entry from the Shopper’s Stop end.

“Even now, our job is not over. A group of resident volunteers oversees every portion of the work to ensure it is being done as per the design,” said Suhasini Fredrick, who publishes ‘Avenues’, a neighbourhood newsletter.

The association, a member said, has divided itself into groups; each to coordinate with a different civic body — the electricity board, Metrowater and others — so work is divided and the project can be completed faster.

Over the past decade or so, Harrington Road has changed from being primarily residential to accommodating many commercial enterprises, including several eateries, a salon and a bank. According to the association, the road has 870 residential units, seven schools and two hospitals, apart from over a dozen commercial establishments.

With work taking over one portion of the road and traffic allowed in only one direction, jams are inevitable and will pose a huge inconvenience.

“Yes, it will be a hassle to take a long route to get here but in the long run, it will be worth it. Parking is a huge problem, and even pavement space is being eaten up. Hopefully, this project will help resolve some of these issues,” said R. Sriganesh, a resident of Gilchrist Avenue, off the road.

A senior Corporation official said the entire project would take about six months to be completed. “We have also selected four roads in Ashok Nagar to be made as per international standards. Gradually, we intend to ensure all roads in the city are as per these standards,” he said.

Source-On Request