CHENNAI: The city flyovers will soon get a facelift as the Corporation is going place vertical gardens beneath 14 of them while 16 flyovers will get dynamic lighting.

"Tenders are being scrutinised and work will begin by February,’’ said an official with the Bridges Department of Corporation.

Both these projects are carried out under the Capital Grant Fund of the State government at a cost of Rs 8.14 crore for vertical gardens and Rs 33.8 crore for dynamic lighting.

Vertical gardens were first introduced in city beneath the G N Chetty flyover in 2018 and after that, this is the first time the civic body has planned to expand it to many city flyovers.

About 108 piers have been identified in 14 bridges which are in Mint, Tondiarpet,  Purasaiwalkam, Pantheon Road, Peters Road, Radhakrishnan Road (Music Academy), CP Ramaswamy Road Junction, Royapettah High Road, G K Moopanar Bridge, South Usman Road, Sardar Patel Road, Gandhi Mandapam Junction (near IIT), Perambur Murasoli Maran Flyover.

The plants identified are Dracena Baby Doll, Boat Lily, Golden Money plant, and Philodendron Ceylon Golden.

“These plants are red, purple and gold in colour. They also can sustain in complete shade for three days,” the official said. Vertical gardens which creates a green wall facades are very common across the world.

Studies say that this can reduce noise pollution, air pollution and offer a cooling effect. According to a UK study, the green walls could raise the thermal insulation up to 30 per cent blocking sunlight. Read More