The Times of India 30.12.2014
Chennai Corporation decides to widen roads as ‘flyovers won’t ease traffic congestion’
CHENNAI:
The Chennai Corporation on Monday decided to widen a few more roads to
ease traffic congestion in the city. “From now on, we will ease traffic
congestion in the city by widening roads and not by building flyovers,”
Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy said during the council meeting.
The
corporation has decided to widen three more roads — Valluvar Kottam
high road, Kodambakkam high road and Annai Nagar in Perungudi. Hitherto,
the civic body had taken up a total of 24 heavily congested main roads
to be widened.
Private consultants are carrying out preliminary procedures such as a land plan schedule and social impact assessment.
The previous DMK regime built 15 flyovers and subways. The present
AIADMK regime has carried out detailed studies for eight grade separator
projects and opened two flyovers, five bridges and three subways,
according to a corporation official.
“It is now accepted world
over that flyovers are not the solution to traffic problems. In fact, if
not planned properly, a flyover can only transfer congestion from one
junction to another,” the official said.
“Therefore, it is
extremely important to plan new flyovers based on detailed feasibility
studies and with stakeholder consultations as huge public funds are
involved in the construction of flyovers along with large scale land
acquisition of private lands.”
The mayor promised to complete all the proposed road works by April next year.