CHENNAI: Chiselled at a huge cost and public perseverance, the Pondy Bazaar pedestrian plaza is all set to be thrown open on October 2, three weeks before Diwali. To cash in on the festive fervour , Greater Chennai Corporation has planned a series of celebrations including music shows, street plays and competitions during the period.After 15 days, the 730m stretch will be handed over to shopkeepers, the key stakeholders. A separate operation and maintenance contract is in the pipeline to maintain the street furniture and keep the plaza clean.The corporation has identified 234 vacant spots on either side of the road to accommodate vehicles and another plot to park 50 cars as the multi-level parking facility will take another nine months to come up.“We have completed 90% of the civic work. In another 15 days, we will set up street furniture, children’s play equipment, steel dustbins, pots for plants, sculptures, do landscaping and paint the walls. Colourful sheets will be used to cover EB boxes,” said Raj Cherubal, CEO of Chennai Smart City Limited.Corporation commissioner G Prakash said the plaza will be one-of-a-kind project in Tamil Nadu. “We will have a gala event at the inauguration and a series of events will follow to keep the street buzzing with activity,” he said.On Wednesday, officials tested if the water run-off from the street was entering the drains to ensure there was no waterlogging. “Civic work will be completed in a few days. Smart poles will be done after a month which will have WiFi, camera and emergency call buttons,” said an official.Ashwathy Dilip of ITDP said the main idea behind the project was to create an urban space for people to gather and celebrate the city. “These projects would improve the business activity of the area as well. Just like Times Square in New York that has a separate website on the events held on the street, we are planning various ways, including using social media, to keep the public informed about the activities,” she said.A presentation was made to the shop owners last week and they were impressed with the work. However, owners of the 150 stores on the stretch said they were concerned about parking and hawkers.G Venugopal, president the Pondy Bazaar Merchants’ Association, said, “We are happy with what the corporation’s effort. People can walk freely and the idea of an open-air mall will attract more customers. We are willing to promote and advertise the street and hold events in the future.”Another member of the association said wider footpaths could attract hawkers who were removed. “We want to ensure that a system is put in place to ensure they do not return. Strict enforcement is the key for this project to be successful,” he said.