UT to build pedestrian ways, cycle tracks

CHANDIGARH: UT administration has decided to turn Swiss-French master architect Le Corbusier's unrealized dreams into reality by building V-7 and V-8 roads, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. To be constructed on south-west to north-east of the city sectors' green belts, the pedestrian ways and cycle tracks would be connected to the existing V-4 roads near the individual sector shopping centres.These newly-built V-7 and V-8 surface roads will ensure elders and children's safe connectivity to V-4 roads.
While divulging this information, UT chief architect Sumit Kaur said that the step being taken by the administration, is same as the one described in the master plan of Le Corbusier.
''We hope to build V-7 and V-8 roads within the sectors to increase easy and safe connectivity of the sector residents up to the market shopping areas. That way walking and cycling would get a major boost,'' said Kaur.
Expressing his pleasure over the administration's plans to finally build V-7 and V-8 roads in different sectors to facilitate pedestrians and cyclists, Corbusier's close associate and Chandigarh's first Indian chief architect, M N Sharma stated that he has long been advocating the cause. ''Many times, I have written about this to the various officers of the local administration requesting them to see reasons in Le Corbusier's designing but things did not move. I'm glad to learn that the present authorities have thought of making them now,'' said Sharma.
Sharma further said that earlier as well, on his request, UT had developed a cycle-track connecting sectors 11 and 15, beneath the surface. ''But later, other vehicles were allowed to move there disturbing the very purpose of raising that cycle-track. Then, the administration started overlooking this track, which was left without power at nights,'' said Sharma.
He added, ''Corbusier had planned V-7 and V-8 roads within the sectors exclusively for the use of pedestrians and cyclists. The basic idea was to facilitate smooth and trouble-free movements and save them from the fast-moving vehicular traffic on V-3 and V-4 roads. Corbusier has incorporated the plans of these roads in his master plan but these roads could not be built till now for one or the other reasons,'' said Sharma.