The twin projects –– a Rs. 28 crore foot-over-bridge (FOB) on the J.N. Main Road near the Anna Nagar west bus terminus and a Rs. 35 crore Road Over Bridge (ROB) that would replace the existing railway level crossing (LC-05) in Pattarawakkam near Padi –– would be opened later this month.
Though the projects were completed nearly a month ago, the new facilities were not thrown open for public as the code of conduct for the general elections was in force.
“We were waiting for the election results to be declared. Now, the new facilities can be opened anytime,” said a Corporation official.
Executed by the State Highways Department, the new FOB with escalators near the bus depot on Jawaharlal Nehru (J.N.) Main Road, Anna Nagar West, would end for the residents the ordeal of having to take a four km-long detour to reach School Road from Sixth Avenue. The FOB connects School Road with Sixth Avenue, located on either side of the 100-feet J.N. Main Road.
Every day, on an average, at least 20,000 pedestrians cross the junction resulting in chaotic situations especially during the rush hour in the morning and evening, as School Road is lined with many educational institutions.
Similarly, the two-lane flyover in Pattarawakkam that would replace the existing level crossing would benefit residents in Bharathi Nagar, Menambedu, Karukku, Kallikuppam, Ambattur, Padi, Kolathur and Korattur.
At present, people have to wait for at least 20 minutes at the level-crossing, every time a train passes. The level-crossing is the main link between interior localities in the western part of the city and the main city via Karukku Main Road. The new facility would be a shorter route to reach the Chennai–Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road and then to the main city rather than taking the existing route where people have to go up to Retteri to reach Anna Nagar, Aminjikarai and Kilpauk.
