The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Friday partially opened the Elephant Gate road overbridge (ROB) for light motor vehicles, three years after its construction began.
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According to GCC records, the construction began on January 20, 2021, and the contract period was estimated to be 18 months. The delay was caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown. According to a GCC engineer, traffic has been allowed on 364.23 m stretch of the 520.35-m bridge, which has been constructed by the civic body. The Southern Railway is working on the remaining 156.12 m of the ROB, which passes over the tracks between the Chennai Central and Basin Bridge railway stations.
The total cost of the project is ₹71.26 crore, with the GCC portion alone coming to ₹30.78 crore, under the Capital Grants Fund.
The 10.3 m wide bridge connects Walltax Road to Raja Muthiah Road. The slope spans 165.24 m on the Walltax Road side and 198.99 m on the Raja Muthiah Road side. “For the portion under construction, the railways must install six bays with six bowstring girders. Currently, three have been installed in the southern portion and two in the northern portion of the ROB. The rest are expected to be installed within two months,” the engineer added.
Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekarbabu and Chennai Central MP Dayanidhi Maran inaugurated the ROB. City Mayor R. Priya, Joint Commissioner (Works) G.S. Sameeran, and other officials were present.