Chennai Corporation awaits IIT report on T Nagar mutil-level car park

Chennai: The T. Nagar shoppers have to wait further as the Greater Chennai Corporation is yet to start the construction works of multi-level car parking lot in T Nagar. The civic body has also sought the report of IIT-Madras on the strength of the pile foundation.

“We have already received a positive report from Anna University. But, to have a second opinion, we also have asked IIT-Madras to test and verify the pile foundation on the construction site,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

The civic body has decided to construct a multi-level car parking to decongest the bustling T. Nagar area at a cost of Rs 36.54 crore under the smart city mission. Although the state ministers S.P. Velumani, D. Jayakumar and P. Benjamin laid the foundation stone on February 2, the project has remained a non-starter so far.

However, the civic official said that construction works have already started. “Before constructing a structure, we have to test the soil and strength of piles to be established. A pile had been constructed at the site and the strength is being ascertained,” the official added.

The official also elucidated the technicality of the works and said that each pile should bear 100 tons load. “To make the building stronger, we have decided to make the piles with a capacity of 250 tons. Anna University report cleared the readings and IIT would give its report soon. More than 200 piles will be laid on the basis of IIT report,” he explained.

It is learnt that the civic body has also been preparing a detailed project report to build a structure that can withstand earthquakes, as Chennai is located in a Reach-3 earthquake zone. The multi-level car parking would accommodate nearly 550 two-wheelers and 250 cars.