1 day Ago
Chennai: After facing criticism for delays, one arm of the Pattabiram flyover is set to open for public use next Wednesday. Thiruvallur collector Prabhu Shankar on Wednesday inspected the final road safety measures carried out by the state highways department ahead of the inauguration. He assured residents that their concerns about traffic restrictions and incomplete road work would be addressed.
The flyover was initially scheduled to open in June, but was delayed due to unfinished road work. "While a pedestrian crossing has been provided on the western side of the bridge, the absence of speed breakers poses a serious risk of fatal accidents," said A Roy Rozario from the People's Voice NGO in Avadi. He added, "These are minor safety issues and shouldn't take two months to resolve.
" Built at a cost of 52 crore, the bridge spans a railway track and has faced six years of delays, partly due to labour and material shortages. The first arm, which will handle two-way traffic between Avadi and Thiruninravur, is expected to ease congestion and allow faster construction of the second arm. To build the second arm, the railway gate below the bridge (level crossing-2) will need to be permanently closed.
MTC has already suspended bus services on key routes such as D70 (Pattabiram-Velachery), 134 (Pattabiram-Thiruvottiyur), and 61 (Pattabiram-High Court) due to traffic restrictions. "Closing the railway gate entirely will worsen connectivity, especially in areas like Charles Nagar and Nehru Nagar, where even school buses and ambulances are forced to take detours to access the other side of Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road," said T Sadagopan, a resident-activist from Pattabiram..
