A revised design will help resume construction of the flyover in Porur at the junction of Mount Poonamalee Road and Arcot Salai. “We were waiting for the shifting of a water main line but even after several tenders, no contractor showed interest in the work. After that, we went for a change in the design of the flyover so that the pipeline remains where it is,” said a source in the Highways department explaining the reason for the hold-up in the construction which began in March 2010.
The Highways department is presently laying service lanes and constructing stormwater drains near the flyover whose construction is likely to resume in September. The work had been put on hold after just 10 per cent of work on the four-lane, 475-m long, 17.2-m wide flyover was completed.
The design changes and hold-up has led to an increase in costs. The flyover which originally cost Rs. 34.72-crore will now cost over Rs. 50 crore. The work is expected to commence by September and will be completed within a year.
Valasaravakkam resident S. Srinivasan hoped that the flyover would be constructed without further delay. “The junction is congested every day and results in vehicle pile-ups on both roads,” he said.
