The Chennai Corporation council has approved reconstruction of Royapuram Bridge (no. 4) by the Railways to facilitate the restoration of Royapuram terminus.
The reconstructed bridge will help accommodate a third and fourth rail line on the stretch. Higher and wider, it will also help ease traffic congestion in the area. The existing bridge is 10.85 metre wide with a 0.5-metre-wide footpath on one side and a 1.15-metre-wide one on the other. However, as the approach road to Old Washermenpet is 15 metres wide, the Corporation has suggested a 15-metre-wide carriageway on the bridge to facilitate free flow of traffic.
The new bridge will have a total width of 20 metres, with 1.5-metre-wide footpaths on either side, one-metre-wide railings and a one-metre-wide median.
The council also asked the Railways to reconstruct under the supervision of Corporation engineers to ensure better planning for traffic infrastructure.
