The Hindu 02.11.2010
Koyambedu grade separator to be thrown open for traffic soon
| Deadline got extended owing to problems in acquiring land |
An aerial view of the Koyambedu grade separator under construction.
CHENNAI: The entire Koyambedu grade separator will be thrown open for traffic shortly. Motorists are already using one arm of the facility from Arumbakkam to Anna Nagar and one of the service roads.
Officials of the National Highways Authority of India, the implementing agency, said that nearly 90 per cent of the work has been completed on the main carriageway and the remaining three loops. The deadline for completion, which was September, got extended owing to problems in acquiring land from a private establishment on Arumbakkam.
A portion of retaining wall of the ramp leading to Arumbakkam from the main carriageway remains incomplete as a private establishment is yet to provide land.
“We are planning to allow traffic on the main carriageway between Arumbakkam and Maduravoyal. Until the entire retaining wall is completed, the two-lane traffic from Maduravoyal side may have to move along only one lane when approaching Arumbakkam due to safety reasons,” an official said.
While each of the two carriageways would be 11 metres wide where the traffic from the loops merges, the width would be reduced to 7.5 metre each as the traffic approaches the entry and exit ramps.
Loops have been provided to link traffic between Vadapalani and Arumbakkam; Maduravoyal to Vadapalani; and Anna Nagar to Maduravoyal.
Of the two ramps for service roads, the one connecting traffic from Anna Nagar to Arumbakkam was opened almost two months ago. Work has been completed on the service road from Maduravoyal to Anna Nagar.
Motorists have started using the loop from Arumbakkam to Anna Nagar. Residents of Koyambedu said as the main carriageway is yet to be open, motorists from Arumbakkam take a left turn from the loop to travel to Maduravoyal.
This poses problems for other motorists if traffic signal is green for those proceeding to Anna Nagar from Vadapalani.
Work on the Rs.100 crore-facility began in 2007. The junction witnesses traffic of nearly one lakh passenger units during rush hour daily, an official said.
