Chennai likely to get four more FOBs with escalators

According to highway department officials, the detailed project reports (DPR) are under preparation for the construction of foot over-bridges near VR Mall and Kendriya Vidyalaya at Tirumangalam on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, near DAV and Velammal School at Mogappair, connecting East and West Tambaram, and near Chinnamalai AG Church on Anna Salai. 

The official said that after the opening of the mall at Tirumangalam near Kendriya Vidyalaya, the number of people resorting to jumping the medians to cross the arterial road has gone up. “The construction of the foot over-bridge near the school would help avoid the dangerous median jumping by the pedestrians,” the official said, adding that the FOB near DAV and Velammal schools at Mogappair would not only help the students cross the arterial road but also residents living adjacent to the schools. 

The proposed FOB near AG Church at Chinnamalai would replace the proposal for a pedestrian subway planned at that location. The Highways department had initially proposed a pedestrian subway at Chinnamalai and had even invited tenders for the construction of the same. But the subway proposal did not take off with the contractors not showing interest in the project. “Unlike the construction of the subway which requires shifting of utilities, the FOB with escalator facilities would be constructed without many hurdles,” the official said. 

At Tambaram, the official said that the DPR is under preparation for connecting the East Tambaram and West Tambaram through a FOB with an escalator facility. “The works are underway for the land acquisition of the project as well,” the official said. 

As far as the skywalk project at Tambaram is concerned, the official said that the FOB portion across GST road has been completed and put to public use in the work of construction of FOB with escalator connecting the Tambaram Railway station and bus stand on GST Road, Tambaram for Rs 19.75 crore. “Construction of railway portion is under progress,” the official added.