The proposal for four grade separators in central Chennai has finally taken off with Chennai Corporation approving designs for the facilities.
The civic body on Wednesday gave TNUIFSL (Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited) the nod on the final design for the four projects while that for a fifth one will be finalised shortly. The grade separators will come up at the junction of College Road, Sterling Road and Valluvar Kottam High Road; Arcot Salai, Saligramam and K.K. Nagar 80 feet Road junction; Mandaveli Junction near Mandaiveli Bus Stand and Gandhi Mandapam Salai and Ponniamman Koil Salai Junction at Kotturpuram. Chennai Corporation will acquire land for construction of the facilities using Transfer of Development Rights (TDR).
Officials from TNUIFSL on Wednesday presented the various design options for the four flyovers in the presence of officials from CMDA, MTC and IIT-Madras professors. However, the best among the three design options available for the grade separator at Adhithanar Salai-Pantheon Road-Dr. Rukmani Lakshmipathy Road junction was not finalised.
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“The largest among the four will be at the junction of College Road, Sterling Road and Valluvar Kottam High Road, with four lanes. Recommendations on minor alterations have been suggested for better pedestrian movement. The final design will be readied shortly,” said an official of Chennai Corporation.
“A corridor approach between Chetpet bridge and Valluvar Kottam has been adopted for finalisation of the design of the grade separator. A detailed project report will be ready in three months,” said the official.
“The question of where to situate the facility has been a challenge for nearly 25 years. A study was done ten years ago by Anna University as Chennai Corporation wanted a different solution. It proposed solutions to tackle the challenge caused by Cooum as a barrier. But it was not implemented,” said a senior traffic planner.
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After the land acquisition is initiated, most of the owners of land are likely to opt for TDR. CMDA expects the number of applicants for Development Rights Certificate to increase in such localities in the coming months.
The certificate will entitle land owners to transfer their development rights and use it in any other property.
The CMDA has not received any applications for Chennai Corporation grade separators since August 2009, said an official of CMDA. The owners who lose land for such projects may also seek development rights on the same site with additional Floor Space Index, which determines the maximum buildable area in a given plot. The CMDA is the authority to issue the certificates.
The feasibility study of a number of grade separators including the four was part of a larger traffic management system mooted by the civic body last year.
The civic body also initiated a study on modification of flyover at the junctions of North Usman Road-Kodambakkam High Road and Usman Road-Duraisamy Road.
The commencement of feasibility study for construction of grade separator at Bharathi Salai and Royapettah Clock Tower Junction was suspended because of metro rail work.