Irumbuliyur flyover, GST Road to be widened; new subway planned

CHENNAI: While getting caught in traffic is every commuter’s nightmare, Irumbuliyur occupies a special place in commuters’ hell. For the last 30 years, traffic chaos on GST Road has been the norm even during off-peak hours.

So, the National Highways (NH) and Railways devised a plan to widen the Irumbuliyur flyover and construct a vehicular subway as a permanent resolution.

The Irumbuliyur junction has always remained a sore point among commuters, as the roads would be choked every day. Commuters often lament over the time it takes to cross Irumbuliyur, which is anywhere between 45 minutes and over an hour.

The main reason for the traffic gridlock is the Irumbuliyur railway bridge that was constructed nearly 60 years ago. With the number of vehicles on the road today, the bridge does not have the capacity anymore to handle the load. Even after GST Road was upgraded to six and eight lanes, vehicles move inch by inch only, as Irumbuliyur still has narrow roads.

John, a regular commuter from Perungalathur, said: “Every day in the morning and evening, it takes at least 30 minutes to cross Irumbuliyur. The road is narrower compared to other junctions. Even on a two-wheeler, it takes 30 minutes to go past Irumbuliyur.”

To resolve this issue, the NH and the Railways have decided to widen the Irumbuliyur railway bridge and GST Road, and also construct a 200-foot long subway for the vehicles to make a U-turn. Vehicles coming from Vandalur can use it to reach Devanesa Nagar and Kamaraj Nagar.

During construction, commuters could still use GST Road but they have to drive slowly, as the NH has placed speed-breakers at frequent intervals. This affects traffic flow every day.

Officials, however, said that it was only a temporary issue. “Once the work is completed, traffic jams will ease-up on GST Road leading to smoother commute,” added the official.

Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Vandalur, and a regular commuter, said: “We’ve been experiencing traffic jams for more than 20 years. We’re ready to face some inconvenience because of the subway construction but officials too should fulfil their promise, and ensure free flow of traffic in Irumbuliyur.”

The NH officials clarified that work was progressing well and that it would be completed fully by March 2025. “After the work is completed, traffic chaos in the Tambaram-Irumbuliyur route will be a distant memory.”