MADURAI: The four-lane flyovers connecting Madurai with Chettikulam and Natham with Thuvarankurchi will be dedicated to the public in January next year, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) authorities have said. The bridges are expected to reduce the travel time between Madurai and Tiruchy cities.
Sources said the construction of the 7.3-km long Madurai-Chettikulam flyover on NH-785 began on November 5, 2018, under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-1 at an estimated cost of Rs 544 crore. "This is the first elevated corridor in the Madurai district. The construction was then extended for a 30-km long Chettikulam-Natham road stretch (not flyover).
Similarly, the construction of the 24-km flyover to connect Natham in Dindigul with Thuvarankurichi in Tiruchy was taken up at a cost of Rs 268 crore. An official from the NHAI told TNIE that the Madurai-Chettikulam construction work began in front of the Vishaal De Mal (a shopping mall) on Gokhale road at Tallakulam. "There will be exit points in Tallakulam and the corporation building for the flyover. The elevated corridor would comprise a total of 189 spans and four ramps. Vehicles will be able to reach Chettikulam from Madurai within just 20 minutes on this four-lane road," he said.
The beautification of bridges linking Tallakulam and Chettikulam is also underway. A statue of Meenakshi Amman made using Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) will be set up on the south side of the bridge, while a Kalalagar statue would adorn the north side. Sangam-era depictions will be painted on the east and west sides of the flyover's square pillars.
"Further, beautification of Naganakulam, Oomachikulam, Krishnan Theppam and Karuppan oorani ponds, which are located along the Madurai-Chettikulam stretch is underway. The works had been temporarily halted previously in view of the pandemic, lockdowns, and when a portion of the under-construction structure collapsed and killed a worker. The work is in full swing now," he said. Additionally, a 250-metre-long wildlife underpass will be readied on the Natham-Thuvarankurchi bridge. Another three small underpass bridges will be constructed in the same section.