Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday announced a 650-metre road to reduce traffic congestion on Durgabai Deshmukh Road.
Replying to the demands for the Highways Department, the Chief Minister, who holds the portfolio, said the road starting at Tamil Nadu Government Music and Arts College would run through government land to join the new bridge across the Adyar.
Once the road is completed, the stretch of Durgabai Deshmukh Road would be made one-way, allowing free flow of traffic from the eight-lane Thiru Vi Ka Bridge at Adyar.
A similar proposal was made way back in 2003-04. However, it was not taken up.
Sources in the department said work on the road is likely to be taken up soon.
Another proposal announced in the Assembly was a flyover at the Madhya Kailash junction connecting Rajiv Gandhi Salai and Sardar Patel Road.
Consultants would be called for a detailed project report.
A proposal was made earlier, but it was dropped as land was not available.
A former engineer of the Highways Department suggested doing away with the signal at the spot and constructing two U-turn flyovers.
Foot overbridge
For pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, Mr. Palaniswami announced the construction of a foot overbridge on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai at Thirumangalam, near the Kendriya Vidyalaya School. This has been a long-pending demand of residents and parents of the school since the institution is located just after the Thirumangalam flyover and the spot is accident-prone.
To a question from DMK MLA I. Periyasami on whether the Centre would construct a skywalk near the Chennai Central station, the Chief Minister replied that the State had dropped the project.
Highways Department sources said the proposal had to be dropped due to the objections from the Heritage Committee that a skywalk would obstruct the view of several heritage structures along Poonamallee High Road.
To another question from the same member on construction of new flyovers, Mr. Palaniswami said the Highways Department was constructing flyovers at intersections in Velachery (at a cost of ₹108 crore), Keelkattalai (₹58 crore), Pallavaram (₹85 crore), Koyambedu (₹95 crore) and Medavakkam (₹146 crore).
