Flyover works to be hit as guest workers plan return

Works on six flyovers and grade separators across the city, undertaken by the metro wing of the State Highways department, had come to a standstill following the lockdown.

Though the government, last week, allowed resumption of these works, the contractors engaged by the Highways department are facing a tough time to convince the migrant labourers to get to work.

A senior Highways department official said most of these workers were given shelter and food during the lockdown period.

“However, most of them are keen on returning to their native places. Their families, worried over the spread of the virus in the city, want them to return and hence the workers are reluctant to resume work,” he said.

The official said they have convinced the workers and promised to send them back to their native places as soon as possible. “Now we have started the work following physical distancing norms and compulsory wearing of masks,” the official said.

Of the six flyovers, one on GST road near Pallavaram is likely to be completed by end of this month or first week of June.

“We had planned for opening the three-lane unidirectional flyover by March-end. We have completed over 95 per cent of the works. Only the approach road on the Tambaram side of the flyover is pending. We are hopeful of completing it by May end or first week of June,” he said.

The works on the Retteri flyover on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Kilkattalai flyover on Thoraipakkam-Pallavaram Radial Road and Medavakkam Main Road junction and CMBT-Kaliyamman Koil road flyover were scheduled to be completed by September. 

The twin flyover on Velachery and Medavakkam flyover, which were facing land acquisition problems, were expected to be completed by early next year.