CHENNAI: You might have heard about Times Square in New York and Trafalgar Square in central London. What about such a square in Chennai? The Tamil Nadu government is proposing to develop a Rs 400-crore ‘ Central Square ’ near Chennai Central railway station, where various forms of rail transport -- long distance, suburban, Mass Rapid Transport System and the under construction Metro Rail -- are converging.

“I am happy to announce that the areas around Ripon Buildings, suburban railway terminal, Chennai Central railway station, Victoria Hall, government hospital, MRTS station and others will be developed as a world-class Central Square,” chief minister J Jayalalithaa said in the assembly on Tuesday.

“This is a key commercial area, and the locality houses the Government General Hospital, Southern Railway headquarters and Corporation of Chennai headquarters,” she said.

The government would set up facilities, including parking lots and pavement for pedestrians, with funding from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to ensure seamless traffic at the proposed square, she said.

The estimated funding for this purpose would be financed by Chennai Metro Rail, she added.

