CHENNAI: The construction of the ‘L’-shaped flyover connecting Sardar Patel Road with Rajiv Gandhi Salai is nearing completion, with about 95% of the work finished. The flyover is scheduled to be inaugurated in the first week of February. The final 35-metre-long deck slab box structure is currently under construction and is expected to be completed within a week, officials from the State Highways said.
Once opened, the flyover is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion along the IIT Madras-Adyar Cancer Institute stretch, including the busy Madhya Kailash junction. However, officials cautioned that traffic congestion may increase at the Tidel Park junction for vehicles travelling from Adyar towards Thuraipakkam. The unidirectional, three-lane flyover is designed to allow seamless movement from Sardar Patel Road to Rajiv Gandhi Salai, bypassing the congested Madhya Kailash junction.
Following the inauguration, the State Highways and traffic police plan to make changes in traffic circulation to decongest all three roads – Sardar Patel Road, Gandhi Mandapam Salai, and Rajiv Gandhi Salai.
“Once the flyover is inaugurated, vehicles coming from Gandhi Mandapam Road (Kotturpuram) towards Guindy will be diverted to the left to make a U-turn beneath the new flyover. Vehicles coming from Adyar/Thiruvanmiyur that are heading towards Kotturpuram will have signal-free right turn beneath the Adyar flyover,” an official said.
At present, vehicles from Sardar Patel Road (Anna University side) heading towards Kotturpuram can take a free left turn, while those bound for Adyar and Thiruvanmiyur must use the Adyar flyover, the official added. The 652-metre-long flyover, constructed at a cost of Rs 70 crore, begins about 350 metres from the existing flyover near the Cancer Institute-IIT Madras junction and ends at Rajiv Gandhi Salai. The flyover is 7.5 metres (26 feet) wide.
“Sardar Patel Road faces heavy congestion for nearly one kilometre from Anna University to the Madhya Kailash junction. The high volume of vehicular movement also restricts construction working hours,” the official added.