The Chennai Corporation has identified 15 junctions for construction of grade separators at an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore in various parts of the city.
The proposed grade separators will primarily be flyovers but may also have underpasses, after assessing the alignment of major infrastructure projects such as Metro Rail, civic officials said.
The civic body completed a pre-feasibility study this week at 15 junctions that see severe traffic congestion. “We identified 20 junctions and conducted a study. According to the report, 15 of the junctions require grade separators to ease traffic congestion,” said a civic official.
Basin Bridge junction will get the largest grade separator among the 15 junctions. The facility spanning 1,925 m would have two arms, easing traffic congestion on Basin Bridge Road and GNT Road. “The grade separator is estimated at ₹271 crore,” said the official.
The smallest would be constructed at ICF Junction and SRP Tools junction, spanning 440 m each. The average width of the grade separators will be 8.4 m with a right of way fixed at 7.5 m. Two-way traffic would be permitted in each of the 15 grade separators.
The proposed grade separator at ICF Junction estimated at ₹61.99 crore would link Konnur High Road with Dr. Ambedkar Road and ICF Link Road, easing traffic congestion in the area. The ₹39-crore facility at SRP Tools Junction would ease flow of traffic on Taramani Link Road, Rajiv Gandhi Salai and LB Road.
Elevated road
At G.P.Hospital junction, the span would be 740 m, easing traffic congestion on Anna Nagar Third Avenue and New Avadi Road. Chinthamani Junction would also get one, connecting Anna Nagar First Avenue and Second Avenue. The civic body will construct an elevated road along 1,150 m of Kilpauk Garden Road, connecting New Avadi Road and Ormes Road junction.
Similarly, Kellys Junction would get a 760 m grade separator, connecting Balfour Road, Purasawalkam High Road and Medavakkam Tank Road. Ayanavaram junction will get another one connecting Konnur High Road, Medavakkam Tank Road and Anderson Road. Otteri Junction would have one connecting Konnur High Road, Strahans Road, Cooks Road and Brickkiln Road, officials said.
An elevated road along Nelson Manickam Road would connect Metha Nagar Junction and Tank Bund Road. “A steel bridge for pedestrians will be constructed near the Nungambakkam Railway Station,” said an official.
Greenways Road junction would get a grade separator connecting Durgabai Deshmukh Road and R.K.Mutt Road. Guru Nanak College junction would also get a grade separator, connecting Velechery Road and Velachery Bypass. The Corporation will prepare a detailed project report for the grade separators shortly, said an official.
Former DMK councillor Deva Jawahar said the civic body had not been able to complete work on a few bridges that had already taken off.
“The Villivakkam Railway Gate L1 was closed two years ago for construction of a bridge. It has been delayed for the past one year. Residents of more than 100 neighbourhoods have been using the stretch,” said Mr. Jawahar.
