For many motorists using the Thiru-Vi-Ka bridge to and from Adyar, the drive was quicker from Wednesday.
A new three-lane structure was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa through a video-conference. Constructed at a cost of Rs. 13.06 crore, the facility that has come up adjacent to the existing four-lane bridge allows traffic from the R.A. Puram side. The older bridge would continue to allow four-lane traffic on either side. Thus, traffic from the Andhra Mahila Sabha side would have five lanes and that proceeding from the Adyar side, two.
Rex Vaaz, a resident who works in Mandaveli, said the new bridge had helped smooth traffic flow. In spite of the Adyar side being quite wide, traffic bottlenecks frequently occurred as the bridge had only four lanes, he said. Now, both the bridges seem to be accommodating a vast quantity of traffic. “Traffic did not stop as it used to and vehicles were moving,” he said.
S. Ismail, a resident of Kottivakkam, said that traffic police must ensure that vehicles taking the Adyar flyover do not take the new bridge. “The beach road is also very wide. But Santhome High Road narrows into a two-lane facility. Something must be done to widen that road,” he said.
Planners recalled that the Corporation had earlier announced that a road connecting Music College and the Adyar Bridge would be laid. “When that comes up a portion of the traffic to the Andhra Mahila Sabha side would take that road,” said a senior planner.
Fifty-two light poles and focus lights have been installed. Sources said that soon LED lights would replace them.
