Despite the heavy traffic on GST Road, work on building the ₹237-crore six-arm flyover is progressing well. The two-lane arm taking off from Chengalpattu side, which will allow vehicles coming into the city, is likely to be ready in three months.
Sources in the Highways Department said that 90% of the work on that arm had been done and work to form the approach ramps was to be taken up soon. “We are constructing the crash barriers. The retaining walls are ready. Once that side is over, a portion of the traffic will be allowed, permitting more space for construction on the other side,” said an engineer associated with the project that will have a massive 500m elliptical rotary on top.
The work began in December 2019 and so far 65% of the two-lane bi-directional arm landing at Perungalathur across the railway tracks has been completed. “This arm, which was the main reason for this grade separator, is likely to be ready in five months,” said another source.
Both two-lane arms of the grade separator, which has a combined length of 2.5 km, on the GST Road are uni-directional. Another arm that gets off on to the Eastern Bypass and lands at Sadhanandapuram would take time to complete since land acquisition is involved. “The bypass runs for 1 km inside the Vandalur Reserve Forest and unless the land is widened there, it cannot touch the ground and the bypass can’t be completed in that stretch,” said a source.
Slow-moving traffic
Road users who regularly travel on the stretch had been complaining that traffic was considerably slow and that the work should be expedited. However, one of the stipulations of the work was that it should be an eight-lane road. “We widened the road in the stretch where work is under progress. Traffic is slow due to the bus terminus situated there and embarking and disembarking of passengers. We have requested the TNSTC to shift the terminus to either Kilambakkam or near the Vandalur flyover temporarily where there is enough space,” said an official.
Raghuraman, a resident of Perungalathur, who pointed out that hardly any work had happened on the arm that would carry traffic from Chennai to Chengalpattu side, said that it should be speeded up.
Officials said that shifting the bus terminus, redesigning the foundation due to the presence of Veeranam water mains and land acquisition was taking time. “We have enough hurdles on just one side, which is why once the other side is over, we will allow traffic on that,” said an official.
