Coimbatore: In a commendable initiative led by Thiru Sivaguru Prabhakaran, the 1987-batch officer and Commissioner of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), the city is witnessing a positive transformation in both its urban aesthetics and waste management strategies.

Commissioner Prabhakaran, with a background of civil engineering and a history, has led collaboration with not-for-profit organisation St+art India and Asian Paints to launch the Art Street project. Over the past two years, this project has breathed life into the dull exteriors of Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board dwellings in Pullukadu, with this year's focus on Ukkadam.

Under the project, artists from India and abroad, including Jofre Oliveras from Spain, Yip Yew Chong from Singapore, Jayesh Sachdev from Pune, and local talent Dhakshyaa Periyasamy, have painted three vibrant murals on the houses. Inspired by the local community, each mural reflects a unique blend of pop-surrealism and realism, aiming to democratise art by bringing it to the streets.

Dakshya Periyasamy, one of the artists, emphasised, "Inspirations for these murals were taken from the people living in the community. We went around the place, interacted with people, got to know them, and illustrated it on the walls."

The Art Street project not only transforms the physical space but also instills pride and joy within the community. Residents express happiness and a sense of uniqueness, as their faces and daily lives become the subject of these public artworks.

In addition to the artistic endeavor, Commissioner Prabhakaran is also steering efforts towards improving Coimbatore's waste management practices. Despite a drop in the Swachh Survekshan ranking, he is determined to address the issues that led to the decline. Plans include renovating and optimising Micro-Composting Centres (MCCs) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) and proposing projects like biomining and biogas plants to enhance solid waste management.

Commissioner Prabhakaran said they will take all the necessary steps and improve the rankings by next year.

Through these holistic initiatives, Coimbatore aims not only to elevate its status as a clean city but also to showcase the transformative power of art and sustainable urban development.