CHENNAI: Chennai, which is often called the city of flyovers, is all set to get nine more flyovers. The newly-proposed flyovers will be built by the State highways department and Chennai Corporation at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.
Meanwhile, the much-delayed construction of one arm of the flyover at Velachery junction (from Velachery bypass towards Tambaram) and another unidirectional flyover at Medavakkam (from Tambaram towards Velachery) is nearing completion.
“The flyovers at Velachery and Medavakkam are the last of seven projects taken up between 2015 and 2017. The other five flyovers at Kilkattalai (Ichangadu), Pallavaram, Kolathur-Retteri, Koyambedu, and Vandalur have been completed,” said a highways department official.
Work on a few of the newly-proposed bridges will begin soon and the rest by the end of the year. In addition, a detailed project report will be prepared for building six bridges/flyovers and an elevated four-lane road from Light House to Guindy.
“Construction of two ‘U’ shaped flyovers at Indira Nagar junction and TIDEL Park Junction on Rajiv Gandhi Salai is underway, and Rs 108.13 crore was allotted for it. The proposed flyover at Madhya Kailash junction is in the pre-construction stage and civil work will commence soon. A total of Rs 46.54 crore has been earmarked for this project,” said a highways official.
Apart from this, the State highways department plans to build a 3.5 km four-lane elevated road from Teynampet to Saidapet bus stand on Anna Salai (Rs 485 crore), a grade separator with elevated rotary at the Kattupakkam-Kundrathur-Kumanan Chavadi junction (Rs 322 crore) and widening of two arms of Padi flyover (Rs 100 crore).
“A few projects were altered based on the DPR prepared in the past. The Teynmapet-Saidapet elevated corridor will reduce travel time by 30 minutes on Anna Salai, thereby improving connectivity to the airport,” said a highways official.
Besides, the Chennai Corporation recently invited bids for building a flyover over the subway at Ganesapuram (Vyasarpadi) at a cost of Rs 142 crore and another between South Usman Road and CIT Nagar 1st Main Road at a cost of Rs 131 crore.
Apart from this, the municipal administration department is planning to build five flyovers/bridges at Valluvar Kottam junction in Nungambakkam (Rs 98 crore) ROB at Korukkupet in place of LC gate on Manali road (Rs 105 crore), an elevated bridge at Chinna Nolambur across Cooum river linking Union Road with Poonamallee High Road (Rs 200 crore), flyovers at Jeevan Nagar (Rs 4 crore) and Aspiran Garden Colony near Kilpauk Garden (Rs 7 crore). A flyover at MKN Road and Officers Training Academy (OTA) on GST road is as planned.
“The DPR for the six new flyovers/bridges will be prepared soon. Depending on the project estimation, either the highways or civic body will take up the work,” explained the official.
In the meantime, a 3.14-km elevated corridor is to be built between MIOT Hospital junction and Mugalivakkam on Mount-Poonamallee Road as part of Madhavaram-Sholinganallur (corridor V) of CMRL work. The flyover forms a double-decker viaduct for vehicles and metro rail and the State government gave `325 crore to CMRL to build the elevated structure.
A section of motorists said traffic regulation should be planned well in advance to mitigate traffic congestion. “Width of Mount-Poonamallee Road and several other roads shrunken due to on-going Metro rail work. Simultaneous construction of seven flyovers at Ichangadu, Pallavaram, Kolathur-Retteri, Koyambedu, Velachery, Medavakkam, and Vandalur caused congestion in south suburban areas,” said S Ganesh Lingam, a resident of Tambaram and a consultant.
However, transport expert Daniel Robinson opined that construction of flyovers at the same time will not lead to traffic snarls. “Vehicular movement which gets bogged down on a stretch will get piled up again at another junction. Taking advantage of this, construction can be planned at different places at the same time.”
Projects at a glance
42 Total number of flyovers/ROBs
Maintained by GCC: 14 flyovers and 12 ROBs
Rest of flyovers/ROBs: State highways (Padi, Kathipara)
Bids invited (Chennai Corporation)
Construction of flyover over existing subway at Ganesapuram (Vyasarpadi)
Construction of flyover along South Usman Road and CIT Nagar 1st Main Road
Newly-proposed flyovers (municipal administration)
At Valluvar Kottam junction, ROB at Korukkupet, bridge at Chinna Nolambur across Cooum, flyover at Jeevan Nagar and Aspiran Garden Colony near Kilpauk Garden
Proposed for DPR preparation (Highways department)
Light House-Guindy elevated corridor
Flyover at MKN Road and OTA on GST Road