Up in air: Fate of 4 flyovers on Maduravoyal-Sriperumbudur stretch

CHENNAI: The motorists travelling to Sriperumbudur and beyond via Chennai-Bengaluru Highway would continue to face traffic snarls even after six-laning works are over next year, thanks to the uncertainty prevailing over the construction of four crucial flyovers on the stretch.

The state Highways department’s national highway wing has undertaken the widening works of the Maduravoyal-Sriperumbudur stretch to six lanes, including the construction of four flyovers on the busy junctions of Parivakkam, Nazrathpet, Thirumazhisai and Thandalam. The state Highways are executing the work on behalf of the NHAI to ease vehicular congestion on the arterial stretch.

The flyover works hang in balance following the state government’s announcement of extending the Chennai Metro Rail up to Sriperumbudur and NHAI’s plan to construct an elevated road from Maduravoyal to Sriperumbur. The six-laning works of the 24-km stretch, which witnesses a traffic flow of over two lakh passenger cars every day, were expected to be completed by March next year.

Sources in the state highways department said they are studying the need for the flyover in the context of the proposed elevated road and CMRL extension along the same stretch. “Now studies are underway for both the elevated road and the metro rail project. The construction of the flyover might come in the way of the alignment of the proposed elevated road and metro rail project. Hence we are waiting for the study to complete,” sources added. Though the construction of the four flyovers were part of the project scope, there is a chance for descoping it too, said sources.

However, the NHAI project director of the Project Implementation Unit Kanchipuram Savithri Devi said that they have not received any proposal from the state highways for the deletion of the flyover works. “They (State Highways) are doing the work on a deposit work basis. Whenever they are asked for the funds, we are giving them. It is their duty to complete the work,” he said.

An official who was associated with the widening of the Maduravoyal to Walajahpet stretch of the NHAI said that the four flyover works should not be dropped as it would be useful for the local traffic.

“The elevated road proposed by the NHAI will have ramps to get in and out at Maduravoyal, Outer Ring Road junction and Sriperumbudur. Besides, the user fee for the elevated road would be at least 10 times the normal road project considering the high cost. So many vehicle users may not prefer it and would like to continue to use the non-toll road,” the official said. The elevated road and metro rail could go over the flyovers on the second and third levels, the official added.

PB_HeaderAT THE CROSSROADS

n 55 per cent of six-laning works on 24-km Maduravoyal-Sriperumbudur stretch has now been completed

n Remaining works on the stretch on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway expected to be completed by mid-2023

n Flyovers proposed at busy junctions of Parivakkam, Nazrathpet, Thirumazhisai and Thandalam

n State Highways yet to start flyover works due to proposed elevated road and metro rail extension up to Sriperumbudur