The ruling DMK is known for fast-tracking infrastructure projects, especially bridges to decongest the core city. With the metropolis expanding, the expectations were high when the party returned to power in 2021. For, the AIADMK government had not taken forward some of the flyover projects along Anna Salai and across T. Nagar.
Following criticism that it was building flyovers where they were not needed, the government did reconsider the projects. The Greater Chennai Corporation had taken up a slew of bridge projects across the city from 2021 to 2023. Work has begun on 10 of the projects; six projects will be inaugurated by the end of this year, civic officials say.
It is taking time as many projects are executed together with other departments, civic engineers say. “For example, the Corporation has completed the major portion of Elephant Gate and is awaiting completion of work by Southern Railway. The civic body has requested that the work be expedited. Further, road work is in progress in the Corporation portion. One of the carriageways will be ready by the month-end,” an official says. The work on this bridge, costing ₹30.78 crore sanctioned from the Capital Grant Fund of the State government, started on January 20, 2021. It should be ready by April 30. Another project to be completed in the next few months will be the reconstruction of the bridge across Otteri Nullah in Aspiran Garden Second Street in Ward 98.
Fund crunch
Acknowledging that the Chennai Corporation was suffering from funds shortage, an engineer said, “The Corporation has stopped using the Capital Fund for creating such infrastructure and instead use the property tax collected for the maintenance of the bridges.”
“Only after funds are sanctioned by the State government, the administrative sanction will be released for the work to begin; hence, no work has stopped abruptly. Yet, a bridge project at the 2A level crossing at Korukkupet, worth roughly ₹75 crore, is awaiting approval. The government has said there are no funds for this project at present. The construction at the 2B level crossing has begun and will be completed in six months, by when the funds for the 2A project could be released.”
A bigger subway
Earlier, the Railways had designed a bigger subway at the Korukkupet level crossings, but it was later restricted to a limited-use subway and then to a rail over-bridge. “The only feasible way for erecting a rail over-bridge here was to place the ramp in a piece of land belonging to them. The approval for this is awaited from the Railway Ministry. If this is given the go-ahead, the need for the 2A level crossing could be eliminated. There would also be a cost-sharing incentive in such cases,” the engineer said. Many such projects are awaiting approval and sanction of funds, mostly in the northern region of the Corporation, he stated.
The civic body will float a tender on February 24 for the construction of a bridge across the Virugambakkam Canal connecting Railway Colony 3rd Street and Madha Kovil Street, Choolaimedu, in Division 107 under Zone-8. The expenditure for the project is expected to be met from the Corporation’s capital funds, data reveals.
Work delay
Encroachments are also holding up some projects such as a bridge connecting Jeevan Nagar 2nd Street and Medavakkam Main Road across the Adambakkam Lake Canal, worth ₹5 crore to be met from the Infrastructure and Amenities Fund. The work started in January 2023, but is expected to be completed only in 2025.
Also, the construction of a limited-use subway at Bojarajan Nagar will restart after Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) shifts an 800-mm water main from the site. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July this year.
What is coming up?
The Bridges Department of the Corporation will float tenders for more projects by the end of February: cable-stayed suspension skywalk connecting Phase I and II of Tholkappia Poonga worth ₹9.35 crore and precast triple cell box culvert across Dr D.G.S Dinakaran Salai worth ₹5.07 crore, both in Zone 13 under Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust; and a two-wheeler-cum-pedestrian subway at Ambattur in Division 81 and 85, Zone 7, worth ₹11.38 crore under the Railway Deposit Fund.
Land acquisition is under way for the construction of a flyover at the Valluvar Kottam junction, worth ₹195.19 crore, under the Infrastructure and Amenities Fund and the CGF. Land acquisition is also going on for some projects such as for the ramp for the Vadaperumbakkam bridge, worth ₹22.41 crore under Chennai Mega City Development Mission. The bridge portion is over and will be open for use from the end of July this year.
Elevated corridors
A Corporation engineer said the civic body was considering projects that involve the establishment of elevated corridors connecting multiple junctions of the city. “In 2012, a plan was evolved worth ₹1,400 crore. However, owing to complications in land acquisition, which amounted to ₹750 crore of the total cost, the project could not make headway. Moreover, as per the Master Plan of the CMDA [Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority], some pockets could not be acquired due to reclassification.”
The Corporation maintains 283 bridges, including 147 over canals or rivers, 16 culverts, 12 rail over-bridges, 16 rail under-bridges, five pedestrian subways, six causeways, 40 foot-bridges (or pedestrian overpasses), 14 grade separators, and four foot over-bridges.
