Soon, a butterfly habitat and wall paintings to beautify a street along Chennai’s Buckingham Canal

Kalvivaru Street, which was full of encroachments and garbage, is being beautified by the Chennai Corporation, and plans are afoot to grow plants along the canal to attract butterflies

For decades, Kalvivaru Street along the Buckingham Canal in Mylapore, has been an eyesore with haphazardly-parked vehicles and debris, and a strong stench of urine. However, the Greater Chennai Corporation has started beautifying the stretch with wide pavements and painting the retaining wall, and will also set up a butterfly habitat along the canal. Kalvivaru Street runs for 400 meters and connects Kutchery Road and Mundakakanni Amman Koil Street. Many motorists use the stretch instead of using Royapettah High Road. There are many residential complexes ,and a CBSE school on the lane. “There were a lot of encroachments on the street, especially abandoned vehicles. The Greater Chennai Corporation also turned a blind eye towards the dumping of debris along street. Many anti-social elements used this as a cover to drink and create a ruckus. It was unsafe for women,” said Geeta, a resident of the locality.