The construction of a crucial flyover along Velachery Main Road in Chennai has been officially postponed. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has decided to halt the work following a formal request from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).
Clash of Infrastructure Projects
The primary reason for the delay is a significant overlap between the two major infrastructure projects. The upcoming Chennai Metro Rail corridor from Tambaram to Velachery passes through key locations like Pallikaranai, Kamatchi Hospital, Guru Nanak College, and Five Furlong Road. A stretch of approximately 650 meters of this metro alignment directly conflicts with the proposed flyover construction zone.
Chief Engineer for bridges, B Shankaravelan, confirmed this development. The GCC has proposed a solution to avoid further delays: CMRL should submit its detailed design. This would allow the civic body to begin work on the foundation and the flyover structure first, with the metro rail alignment being accommodated above it at a later stage.
Coordinated Efforts and New Timeline
Chennai Metro Rail Limited is now expected to conduct internal discussions on this proposal. According to Shankaravelan, CMRL will revert after these internal discussions, which are anticipated to conclude in December 2023.
To expedite the process, a financial incentive has been put in place. Whichever agency begins its work first will receive the necessary additional funds. With this new coordination plan, the physical work on the ground is now expected to commence in January 2024.
The Proposed Flyover and Traffic Relief
The flyover project itself is a major initiative aimed at decongesting two of Velachery's busiest junctions. The GCC has proposed building the flyover from the Five Furlong Road junction to the Guru Nanak College junction on Velachery Main Road. This is a direct response to the severe traffic bottlenecks experienced at the Velachery Bypass Road junction near Phoenix Mall and the Five Furlong Road junction.
The estimated cost for this vital infrastructure is a substantial ₹310 crore. The tender process for the flyover had nearly been finalized when CMRL sent its request to the GCC commissioner, leading to the current two-month postponement to allow for better project integration.
