Grade separator work yet to begin

The Hindu     01.11.2010

Grade separator work yet to begin

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao





Waiting for respite: One of the grade separators is to decongest traffic
near the new Assembly complex. A scene near the Anna Salai-Wallajah
Road junction.

CHENNAI: The construction of two grade separators on Anna Salai,
which have been proposed to decongest traffic on the arterial road, has
been delayed.

The design of the facilities is yet to be finalised, though the
piling work was expected to begin by the end of August. The Highways
Department had said that it was planning to complete the piling work
before March 2011 to avoid any conflict with the tunnelling work for the
Metro Rail project. As a result, officials of the Highways Department
said the commencement of work for construction of Metro Rail network
next year in the Anna Salai stretch is likely to be delayed by a few
months.

Initially, the Highways Department would have to do the piling work
by drawing Rs.100 crore from the Infrastructure and Amenities Fund of
the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, which was sanctioned
sometime ago. But, the Government Order sanctioning the two projects is
yet to be issued.

In June, the CMDA had decided to allocate Rs.385 crore, collected
under the infrastructure and amenities charges, for the construction of
the grade separators. The amount collected under the Infrastructure and
Amenities charges has crossed Rs.450 crore in the Chennai Metropolitan
Area. One of the grade separators spanning a length of 1.9 km from near
the P.Orr & Sons showroom, opposite the new Assembly complex, to
Popat Jamal, opposite Spencer Plaza, is estimated to cost Rs.161 crore.

The other grade separator, to be constructed at an estimated cost of
Rs.339 crore, would be 2.9 km long from Vaanavil showroom in Teynampet
to the junction of CIT Nagar First Main Road near Saidapet.