CHENNAI: Poor illumination coupled with dug-up roads makes travelling along the Tambaram Eastern Bypass risky. Besides, garbage is strewn across the service lane, which is used for anti-social activities at night. The Tambaram Eastern Bypass project proposes to connect Rajakilpakkam and Peerkankaranai on the GST Road. The road has so far been laid till Selaiyur.
“Though the road has been laid, work on the service road is not over. Blocks of cement were laid to form the periphery of the service lane long ago, and nothing has been done since. Residents have started disposing garbage on the lane,” said Dayanand Krishnan, a resident. The newly-laid stretch has garbage strewn all over. This is the case for 2.5 km, from Agaramthen village to Mappedu junction.
“There are numerous commercial establishments along the stretch, but they are inaccessible due to the stench from the garbage disposed nearby. The project has been delayed for a decade, and we are worried about how much longer it might take,” said D Sathish, a resident of Selaiyur.
The lights were removed to lay the road, and no new lights were provided, making the area unsafe at night. An official from the Highways department said streetlights will be installed once the stretch is constructed.
Project to make it easier to reach South Chennai and beyond
Once completed, the project will ease traffic in Perungalathur and reduce the travel time to Southern districts. It will also help those living in South Chennai, in areas such as Velachery, Nanganallur, Madipakkam, Thiruvanmiyur and Adyar, as they will be able to directly reach the bypass by taking a right turn from Medavakkam. The bypass road passes through Madambakkam, Mappedu, Agaramthen, Thiruvanchery and Nerkundram. The first phase was completed in 2014, and the second phase is being undertaken