The State Highways Department has drawn up an estimate of Rs. 2.09 crore to take up improvement works on several important facilities, including grade separators at Kathipara, Padi and Koyambedu, that it took over from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently.
The facilities were handed over by the NHAI to the Highways Department for maintenance as it does not have a maintenance wing. Though the handing over, which had been pending for a while, was smooth, improvement works including lighting, cleaning and painting had to be taken up.
As soon as the facilities were taken over, the Kathipara and Koyambedu grade separators were painted. The Padi grade separator will soon be painted.
Motorists had been complaining that the three grade separators and flyover opposite the Chennai airport were poorly illuminated.
Already works to improve lighting have been initiated. using the existing power lines, wiring and light fittings, a source in the Highways Department said. All seven high mast lights near the airport flyover are functioning.
For instance, on the Kathipara grade separator, there are 230 lights and four high mast lamps, each having 12 LED lights. Most of the 230 lights have been made functional, and work on the high mast lamps would be taken up soon.
Each of the LED bulbs cost Rs.30,000 approximately and have to be replaced. Similarly, some of the electric cables that have been damaged by other agencies in road cuts are to be replaced.
At the Koyambedu grade separator, the Chennai Corporation has installed four high mast lamps that continue to function.
Landscaping work will also be taken up in the space beneath the grade separators. .
All the facilities, including the four subways at Thirusoolam, Tambaram, Pallavaram and Adambakkam, have been cleaned. Tubelights at all four subways have been replaced and UPS installed for back-up during power cuts.
Only one portion of the Thirusoolam subway is being maintained by the Highways Department and the other by the Southern Railway.
Cleaning is being done on a daily basis in subways and watchmen have been appointed.
