The Valluvar Kottam junction is one of the busiest in the city as a recent traffic study recorded more than 10,000 units of passenger cars during peak hours. | Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to start work on the flyover over the Valluvar Kottam junction along the Kodambakkam High Road to ease traffic congestion on several roads in Nungambakkam and T. Nagar.
The Valluvar Kottam junction is one of the busiest in the city as a recent traffic study recorded more than 10,000 units of passenger cars during peak hours. After the announcement in April, the company hired a consultant to prepare a spatial plan and a detailed report on the feasibility of the project. Now the consultant has submitted the reports.
Most of the land planned for the flyover is state land, with 8,014 m² of state land and only a few parcels of private land expected to be acquired for the project. More than 10,000 square meters of land, including the above-mentioned government land, will be used for construction in Egmore, Guindy and Mylapore taluks, civic officials said.
The civic body has started the process to acquire land near Valluvar Kottam. After the land acquisition is completed, tenders for design, engineering, procurement and construction will be issued, they added.
A few years ago, the civic body had proposed a 2.7-km flyover to connect Ega Theater and Valluvar Kottam, near Thirumalai Pillai Road, to ease traffic congestion at the six intersections. But the project, with an estimated cost of over ₹ 1,000 crore, was shelved due to financing issues and the cost of acquiring large tracts of land.
The new 570-meter flyover, which is completely different from the previous proposal, will require much less land acquisition and is estimated to cost 176 million rubles, officials pointed out.
Other projects
Another flyover in North Chennai on Manali Road in Ward 41 of Tondiarpet Zone is likely to be constructed at Level Crossing 2B. “Tenders have been floated and are under process,” the official said. The Rs 96-crore flyover is expected to ease congestion on roads near Korukkupet railway station.
The Cooum bridge connecting Poonamallee High Road and Union Road at Sannathi Nagar First Cross Street in Wards 143 and 144 in Valasaravakkam Zone will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹ 32 crore. The board of the company has already passed a resolution on obtaining administrative sanction for the project from the state government.
Besides, another bridge across the river will be constructed between Poonamallee High Road and Union Road at Chinna Nolambur at an estimated cost of ₹ 43 crore.