The Hindu 11.03.2013
Japan funds for city’s grade separators?
Several new grade separators coming up in the city are likely to be funded by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).
The Chennai Corporation Council will soon pass a resolution on a list of grade separators it wants funding for, and the list will then be submitted to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority . The CMDA, which is JICA’s nodal agency for the city, will pass on the list and facilitate the funding.
While the number of proposed grade separators and their location is not clear, the Corporation will probably ask for funding for projects it has already considered.
For instance, a link road between Thiru-Vi-Ka bridge and Kotturpuram bridge along Adyar River has been under discussion by Corporation and PWD officials for over a year now. If this is funded by JICA, it would lead to significant reduction of traffic congestion in Adyar and Guindy.
Last year, the civic body announced it was considering connecting the two flyovers on Usman Road and extending the combined structure right up to Anna Salai. The entry and exit ramps of the flyovers would be removed under this proposed project, while the central portions would be connected to form a single flyover.
The list however, will be finalised based on a number of feasibility studies, a Corporation official said.
