The skywalk across Grand Southern Trunk Road connecting the Kilambakkam bus terminus and the newly constructed suburban railway station is expected to be completed and opened to the public in May. The project has faced multiple deadline overruns, forcing commuters to continue navigating high-speed traffic on GST Road to reach the MTC and mofussil terminus.
Approval Pending for Final Span
Officials stated that they are awaiting approval from the traffic police to launch the remaining span of the structure. "It will take a day to erect the second arm across the road, and vehicles will have to be diverted during this operation. We have been asked to wait till May 4," an official said. The 275-meter-long skywalk was originally scheduled to be inaugurated before the Model Code of Conduct for the assembly elections came into effect. However, rectification of excessive deflection in the already erected arm, flagged by IIT Madras, caused further delays.
Preparation for Final Launch
"The structure of the other half has been assembled and kept ready. With due consent from departments concerned, the arm will be launched overnight and kept under observation for another 12 hours," the official added. The Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus was inaugurated in December 2023, and mofussil operations were shifted from Koyambedu. However, poor multimodal integration has made access difficult for passengers bound for southern districts.
Seamless Connectivity Expected
To address this, the state government and Southern Railway decided to build a Kilambakkam halt station between Vandalur and Guduvanchery and provide a dedicated skywalk for seamless connectivity. Once the skywalk is opened, commuters will be able to walk from the bus terminus to the suburban station and cross GST Road without hindrance.
Further Work on Railway Station
The foot overbridge across the railway tracks and stairways to the platforms will be taken up only after the span over GST Road is completed. This means passengers will have to wait longer to directly access the platforms. Railway officials confirmed that the station infrastructure is ready, but trains can be halted there only after the foot overbridge is completed.
