Construction of one of the twin flyovers at Medavakkam on Velachery-Tambaram Road is close to completion. The 2.3-km structure will permit movement of vehicles between Tambaram and Velachery. Cleaning of the work area is currently in progress.
Sources in the Highways Department, which is responsible for constructing the ₹133 crore facility, said they had about 10 to 15 days of work remaining. “Vehicles heading towards Velachery is using the service lane right now,” an official added. The other flyover, which is 1.5 km in length and has three lanes, was inaugurated in February 2021. Work on the service lane and stormwater drains for this flyover are underway in portions and will take two months to complete.
“Since the flyover is already operational, motorists will not be inconvenienced by the work. The land acquisition took some time since it is a commercial area, and there are hundreds of shops along the road. We also permitted shops to demolish structures on their own so that there would be minimal loss to livelihood, which is also important when it comes to such large projects. At present, compensation is being awarded to those whose properties have been acquired,” an official said.
K. Ramaswamy, a resident of Velachery, who welcomed the completion of the flyovers, said directional signage must be installed in the area to make navigation more convenient. He said like the Kathipara grade separator and other flyovers in the city, the space beneath should be made into a garden.
