TN Chief Minister opens Porur flyover in Chennai

The Rs 54 crore 505-metre long flyover connecting Kodambakkam Sriperumbudur-Mount Poonamallee Road will help motorists reduce the duration of the journey.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami inaugurated the much-awaited flyover in Porur junction in Mount Poonanamallee Road on Sunday. Express/ Martin Louis
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami inaugurated the much-awaited flyover in Porur junction in Mount Poonanamallee Road on Sunday. Express/ Martin Louis

CHENNAI: The long awaited Porur flyover was today declared open for the public by Chief Minister K Palaniswami,who christened it 'Bharat Ratna Puratchi Thalaivar MGR' flyover in the name of AIADMK Founder M G Ramachandran.

The Rs 54 crore 505-metre long flyover connecting Kodambakkam Sriperumbudur-Mount Poonamallee Road will help motorists reduce the duration of the journey. It is also expected to ease traffic congestion on the Porur junction through which an average of 1,18,015 vehicles pass every day.

In a brief speech, Palaniswami flayed the previous government for taking up construction work on the flyover without acquiring the land.

"The previous administration commenced the construction of flyover without acquiring the land", he said without naming the DMK government.

"It was when AIADMK stormed back into power in 2011 that the late (Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) Jayalalithaa issued orders to complete construction after acquiring the land", he said.

“Amma (the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa) had ordered to expedite the construction work. We secured a favourable judgment from the court before launching the works,” he noted.

Even after land was acquired, the work got further delayed as no contractors came forward, the Chief Minister said.

"Fresh tenders were issued for Rs 54 crore to replace the existing metro water pipes connecting the region. After these were replaced, contruction work commenced and today the flyover has been opened for the public", he said.
Palaniswami, who holds the highways portfolio, pointed out that the removal of pipes fetching drinking water too came in the way of speedy completion and led to floating of re-tender.

The chief minister recalled that Jayalalithaa had directed that land acquisition must be completed before launching any work, be it construction of bridges or road expansion or laying bypass roads.
Moreover, stress was laid on removing water pipes, clearing of sewerage, replacement of electric poles and telecommunication devices, he said.


Minister for Rural Industries P Benjamin, Highways Department secretary Rajiv Ranjan and Tiruvallur District Collector A Sundaravalli were present at the event.

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