WEST VELI ROAD, MADURAI.
THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY WANTED TO REDEVELOP THE MADURAI RAILWAY JUNCTION EASTERN AND WESTERN ENTRIES – CIRCULATING AND PASSENGER USABLE AREA TILL THE PLATFORM. THE TASK WAS TO PREPARE A MASTER PLAN FOR PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES, LANDSCAPING, ROADS, BUS BAYS & PARKING. THE AGENDA WAS TO PROVIDE THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC ADEQUATE FACILITIES AND ACHIEVE PERCEPTIBLE IMPROVEMENTS BY REDEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING CIRCULATING AREA.
PROJECT : “MADURAI RAILWAY JUNCTION–EAST ENTRY DESIGN”
CLIENT : RAIL VIKAS NIGAM LTD, GOVT OF INDIA.
SITE AREA : 50,000 SQM – 12.52 ACRES
EXECUTED AREA : 20,000 SQ.M. (PHASE I – EAST ENTRY)
PROJECT VALUE : RS.5.00 CRORES. (PHASE I)
DURATION : 9 MONTHS – NOV 2018.
STATUS : PHASE I EAST ENTRY COMPLETED.
CONSTRAINTS :
THE MADURAI RAILWAY JUNCTION EAST ENTRY IS ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE OLD CORE OF MADURAI CITY. OVER A PERIOD OF PAST SEVERAL DECADES THE EAST ENTRY WAS SUBJECTED TO A SERIES OF INTERVENTIONS DONE TO THE WHIMS AND FANCIES OF OFFICIALS WHO SAT AT THE DECIDING CHAIR. THE PHYSICAL INTERVENTIONS BY VARIOUS OFFICIALS LEAD TO IRREVOCABLE DAMAGES TO THE OTHERWISE VERY POTENTIAL VAST EASTERN ENTRY. THE MAJOR PIECE MEAL INTERVENTIONS INCLUDED – THE SO CALLED MODERNIZING OF FAÇADE WITH ALUCO PANELS AND CURTAIN GLAZING; PEDESTRIAN CLASH WITH ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES; LACK OF PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES, HAPHAZARD PLACEMENT OF BILLBOARDS ETC.
INNOVATIONS :
THE MASTER PLAN WAS PREPARED WITH UTMOST SIMPLICITY, BEARING IN MIND THE TRADITIONAL CITY CONTEXT AND MODERN DAY PASSENGER REQUIREMENTS. THE PLAN FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON UNDOING THE MISTAKES AND PROVIDING A SIMPLE USER FRIENDLY ENTRY ZONE TO PASSENGERS AND VEHICLES IN THE BEST ECO SENSITIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
SALIENT FEATURES:
THE ARRIVAL PLAZA HAS BEEN REORGANIZED WITH CLEAR DEMARCATION OF PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICLE ZONES; CLARITY IN ZONING FOR VEHICLES AND THEIR PARKING WITH BUS BAYS, PICK UP & DROP OFF ZONES ARE PROVIDED; SEGREGATION OF A SECOND ENTRY TO PLATFORM FOR VEHICLE USERS IS DONE; PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE STREET FURNITURE AND LANDSCAPE, ALONG WITH RESTORING THE GLORIOUS OLD TRADITIONAL FAÇADE IS DONE.